The Fight for the Galaxy
by Cowgirl4Christ
Summary: Sequel to 'A Galaxy Changed', Lark, Bob, Han, Leia, Jesse, and Kimmy work hard to fight against the empire, but the struggle is more than anyone is prepared for. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1 A Conspiracy

Chapter 1 A Conspiracy

Lark looked out at the vast expanse of ice and snow that made up the cold world of Hoth. Shivering, she pulled the collar on her thermal coat tighter and went back inside. Hoth may not have been her first choice for a place to spend the past few weeks, but it was definitely a good spot for the rebellion. Looking back one more time before shutting the door, Lark went to the control room to see if Han, Bob, and Luke had checked back in yet.

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A small figure, barely visible in the distance, galloped across the windswept ice slope. From his vantage point on his snow lizard, Bob could see both Han and Luke then Han disappeared behind a rise.

"Echo Three to Echo Seven and Four. Han, Bob, do you read me?" Luke's voice crackled into the comlink.

"Loud and clear, kid. What's up?" Han asked.

"Well, I finished my circle. I don't pick up any life readings." Luke said. "What about you?"

"Same." Bob replied.

"There isn't enough life on this ice cube to fill a space cruiser." Han said. "The sensors are placed. I'm going back."

"Right. I'll see you shortly. There's a meteorite that hit the ground near here. I want to check it out. It won't take long." Luke told them.

Bob considered going with him, but he was cold despite all his layers and his heated thermal suit. He turned his lizard to follow Han back to the base.

At the base, the first person he bumped into was Lark. He smiled when he saw her; the two had become good friends. Sometimes he thought she could read his mind, she was so sensitive to his moods, and the moods of everyone around her. He wondered if that came from her training or her personality.

_Probably a little of both._ He decided. Whatever it was, she always knew exactly when he was feeling like he could never fulfill his destiny to become a Jedi as well as knowing what to say to cheer him up. Usually those conversations ended with a sparring match. Between Lark and her parents, Kimmy and Jesse, he got a lot of training, but they were all so busy, he often felt like he needed more than the occasional lesson.

"What's up?" he asked when he saw Lark making a beeline for him.

"Did Han say anything to you?" she asked.

"About what?"

She frowned. "Leaving."

"Oh." Bob hadn't wanted to mention it. "The Falcon's repaired."

Lark looked away.

"I already told you I'm staying." He said.

She gave him a half-hearted grin. "I know. It's not you." Taking a deep breath and looking around to make sure no one was listening, Lark stepped closer. "I think Leia likes Han."

Bob straightened. "What?"

"Has he… you know…"

"Yes, I know, and no he hasn't. Not that he's one to share his feelings."

"But do you think it's possible?"

"Anything's possible." Bob looked over his shoulder to make sure Han had gone to the control room. "Especially with him."

"They may need a little… persuasion." Lark tilted her head slyly.

"You aren't thinking what I think you are, are you?" Bob grinned to show her he was in all the way.

She smirked. "You handle Han; I'll take care of Leia."

"Deal." They shook hands.


	2. Chapter 2 Missing in Action

Chapter 2 Missing in Action

Bob was going to head to the control room, but first he had a stop to make.

"Hey, Cewie. The repairs all made?" he asked the wookie working on the falcon.

Chewie growled an affirmative.

"You sure? I think Han was planning to spend a few more days here if you wanted to take apart the engine to do some finer details." Bob didn't bother trying to be subtle as he dropped the hint. Chewie growled again and went back to work, and Bob went to the control room, satisfied with his work.

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Lark was still trying to figure out what to say to Leia when she found her. Maybe her mother would have a few ideas, although Kimmy would probably say she shouldn't be matchmaking. Kimmy didn't exactly approve of Han's type either, although she and Jesse were both impressed by his piloting skills.

She sensed Han coming before he actually entered the room. When he entered, Leia looked up and then back down, her cheeks flushing slightly.

General Rieekan straightened up from a console at Han's approach. "Solo?"

"No sign of life out there, General. The sensors are in place. You'll know if anything comes around." Han answered.

"Commander Skywalker reported in yet?"

"No. He's checking out a meteorite that hit near him."

"With all the meteor activity in this system, it's going to be difficult to spot approaching ships." Rieekan muttered, more to himself than Han.

"General, I've got to leave. I can't stay any more." Han blurted out.

Lark glanced at Leia. She seemed distressed and intent on not showing it.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Rieekan said.

"Well, there's a price on my head. If I don't pay off Jabba the Hutt, I'm a dead man." Han said.

"A death mark's not an easy thing to live with. You're a good fighter, Solo. I hate to lose you."

"Thank you, General." Han turned to leave and saw Leia trying to look busy. "Well, Your Highness, I guess this is it." he said with the most amount of feeling Lark had ever heard from him.

"That's right." Leia didn't return the emotion. Lark instantly recognized the tone of someone trying not to show how upset they were, but, unfortunately, Han didn't. He shook his head,

"Well, don't get all mushy on me. So long, Princess." Still shaking his head, Han left.

Lark stepped closer to Leia. "Go after him." She whispered.

Leia gave her a sharp look. "Why would I do that?" she demanded.

Lark knew better than to say 'you love him'.

"We need him." She said, giving Leia a gentle nudge in the direction of the door. Leia hesitated, and then followed. Lark grinned in satisfaction and moved closer to the door to eavesdrop.

"Han!" Leia called.

"Yes, Your Highnessness?" Lark could hear the sarcasm in Han's voice. She inched her face around the corner.

"I thought you decided to stay." Leia's back was to Lark, so she couldn't see her face.

"Well, the bounty hunter we ran into on Ord Mantell changed my mind."

"Han, we need you!"

"We?"

"Yes."

Lark took a sharp breath. She'd been right about Han. Now all they had to do was convince Leia.

"Oh, what about you need?"

"I need? I don't know what you're talking about." Leia's voice was adamant.

"You probably don't." Han shook his head and turned away.

Leia pulled him back. "And what precisely am I supposed to know?"

"Come on! You want me to stay because of the way you feel about me."

"Yes. You're a great help to us. You're a natural leader..."

Lark rolled her eyes. _Come on, Leia! Quit playing dumb!_

Apparently, Han felt the same way. "No! That's not it. Come on."

"You're imagining things." Leia's voice was slightly aloof, a sure sign that Han wasn't imagining things.

"Am I?" Han must have sensed it too. "Then why are you following me? Afraid I was going to leave without giving you a goodbye kiss?"

"I'd just as soon kiss a Wookie."

"I can arrange that. You could use a good kiss!" Han spun and started to walk away for a second time. This time, Leia didn't stop him.

"Hey."

Lark jumped as someone touched her elbow. She let out a relieved breath when she realized it was only Bob.

"What just happened?" he asked.

"Leia and Han had a shouting match. Han's leaving."

"No, he's not."

"Really? Who's gonna stop him?" Lark put her hands on her hips.

"He might be ready to leave, but the ship's not."

"Yes, it is. He told me it was this morning."

"That was before Chewie took the engine apart."

A mischievous light came into Lark's eyes. "You're wicked."

"I know." They slapped high five.

"Don't try to blame me." A familiar voice echoed down the corridor. A few minutes later Thrrpio, a protocol droid accompanied by Artoo, and astro-droid, came into view. "I didn't ask you to turn on the thermal heater. I merely commented that it was freezing in the princess's chamber. But it's supposed to be freezing. How are we going to dry out all her clothes? I really don't know."

Artoo beeped a stream of protesting whistles.

"Oh, switch off."

Lark cleared her throat.

"Oh, hello Miss Lark." Threepio said. "Would you by any chance know where Master Solo is?"

"With the Falcon. Why?"

"Mistress Leia is wondering where Master Luke is. He hasn't come back yet."

"He hasn't checked in?" Bob immediately became serious.

"No, I was going to see if Master Solo knew anything."

Before Threepio had even finished, Lark and Bob were on their way back to the control center. A few minutes later, Han joined them with a deck officer.

"Sir, Commander Skywalker hasn't come in through the south entrance. He might have forgotten to check in." the officer said.

"Not likely. Are the speeders ready?" Han asked.

"Not yet. We're having some trouble adapting them to the cold."

"Then we'll have to go out on Tauntauns." Han said, already swinging into action.

"Sir, the temperature's dropping too rapidly."

"That's right. And my friend's out in it." Han's voice left no room for argument. Lark and Bob waited for the officer to leave before approaching Han.

"Han, you're going out in that?" Bob asked.

"Don't try to stop me."

"Just the opposite. I'll come too."

"No way."

"Why not?" Bob followed Han at a brisk pace down the corridor. "You're allowed to risk you're life, but I'm not?"

"Exactly."

"Han."

"Look, Bob, stay here, look out for your girlfriends, and I'll be back tomorrow." Han swung up onto an ice lizard.

"But…"

"Bob." Han locked gazes with Bob. "Stay here."

Bob muttered some choice words under his breath.

"Your Tauntaun'll freeze before you reach the first marker." An officer said as Han exited the cave.

"Then I'll see you in hell!" Han called back.

**_Advertiesment: WizardJedi created a forum, the link won't show up, but it's on my profile. Go check it out (after reviewing, naturally)._**


	3. Chapter 3 Found

Chapter 3 Found

Bob watched Han ride away until he disappeared from view. Even then, he couldn't pull himself away and into the warmth – relatively speaking – of the base.

"I wanted to go too."

Bob hadn't noticed Lark beside him until she spoke. He just nodded.

"My dad wouldn't let me." She continued, her eyes glued to the white horizon, scarcely distinguishable from the cloudy sky.

"Luke's my friend too." Bob finally said after a long silence that seemed to stretch into eternity. "Han didn't even want to stay, but when the time comes to be a hero, who's in the spotlight?" he voiced emotions he didn't even know existed.

Lark carefully considered before speaking. Such thoughts may be human, but they had no place for a Force-user, as limited as Bob's skills were.

_Maybe that's the problem._ She thought. Maybe he needs to have more connection to the Force. She decided that as soon as Han and Luke got back – she refused to consider any other possibilities – she would talk to Jesse or Kimmy about setting up a regular training schedule with Bob. It was hard since they were all so busy, but still…

"I'm going in." Bob said, leaving Lark alone in the cold. Eventually she turned to go inside as well.

Inside the base, Leia stood waiting for any news whatsoever from the two strays, shivering visibly in the biting wind that swept through the open door. Nearby, Chewie sat with his massive, furry head in his hands. Lark put an arm around Leia's shoulders, and they waited in silence while Lark's imagination went wild with all the possibilities – and none of them good.

_Shut up!_ She told herself. _It's just as possible that they come back unharmed. Well, maybe not just as, but it's still possible._

"Sir, all the patrols are in. There's still no contact from Skywalker or Solo." A lieutenant's voice broke through her inner monologue.

"Mistress Leia, Artoo says he's been quite unable to pick up any signals, although he does admit that his own range is far too weak to abandon all hope." Threepio said.

Leia nodded an acknowledgment, seeming to be lost in thought as well.

"Your Highness, there's nothing more we can do tonight. The shield doors must be closed." Someone said.

Leia nodded slowly, and Chewie let out a long, mournful howl. Lark felt like doing the same. At the same moment, Artoo began a complex series of efficient beeps.

"Artoo says the chances of survival are seven hundred seventy-five to one." Threepio translated.

Lark glared at the droid.

Threepio quickly backpedaled as if afraid she would switch him of – which wasn't exactly a bad idea. "Actually, Artoo has been known to make mistakes from time to time. Oh, dear, oh, dear. Don't worry about Master Luke. I'm sure he'll be all right. He's quite clever, you know, for a human being."

Leia still didn't respond as the doors shut with a resounding boom.

Bob stood up. "The second the doors are open tomorrow, I'll go scout around." He said.

Leia nodded and turned away. Sensing her need to be alone, Lark stayed behind, wishing she were young enough to go burry her head in her father's shoulder like she used to back when she was sure he could make everything alright. Why did she ever have to grow up?

"You should get some sleep." Kimmy put one hand on Lark's shoulder and the other on Leia's.

"What if something happens?" Leia asked.

Kimmy frowned, and Lark knew that she wasn't expecting any news that night – good or bad. Still, she told them, "I'll wake you up if we hear anything."

Leia hesitated and then nodded and left for her sleeping quarters while Lark lingered a moment more. "I don't think I could sleep anyway." She said.

"Try." Kimmy said with an understanding smile.

Despite everything, lark did manage to drift into a light doze, but her subconscious wouldn't let her sleep soundly for fear of nightmares attacking from the shadows of her fears.

"There is no fear." she muttered in the small hours of the morning when she'd given up on even a doze.

"Sweetheart, it's natural to feel fear."

Lark jumped as a silhouette appeared in the doorway. Kimmy entered and sat on the bed. "I heard you tossing and turning." She explained.

"Then why do they say that fear leads to the dark side?" Lark asked.

"Because fear is a controlling emotion, and any emotion that controls you is potentially bad." She pushed a strand of hair back from her daughter's face. "It's ok to be concerned for your friends as long as you trust the Force."

Lark nodded and got out of bed. "I'm not going to get any more sleep." She said. "It's almost dawn. Can I go out with the others to look?" she held her breath but didn't have much hope. They'd been over this before. She wasn't trained as a fighter pilot and was too young to be trained. Jesse and Kimmy had agreed that when she was seventeen, she could enroll. This last year was ticking by extremely slowly.

But to her surprise, Kimmy didn't say no. Instead she simply said, "I'll talk to your father."

Lark smiled her thanks and reached for her coat. Maybe they'd finally realized she was growing up.

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Three hours later, Bob, Jesse, and Lark were getting into their snow-speeders to begin the search party. Bob climbed aboard and settled into the cockpit, his focused look on the dashboard.

"Good thing you guys got these fixed." He heard Jesse say, but he didn't listen to the reply. Instead he concentrated on starting up the speeder. With a flash of light, the doors opened, and Bob and the rest zoomed out into the whiteness that was nearly blinding after the dim hangar.

Almost half an hour of fruitless searching passed, and then Bob suddenly felt an inward tug. He perked up and, after a moments hesitation, followed it out of his assigned area. After a few moments, he heard a low beep from one of his monitors.

"Echo Base, I've got something! Not much, but it could be a life form." He said half excitedly, half hopefully. Quickly, he switched over to a new transmitter. "This is Rouge Two. This is Rogue Two. Captain Solo, so you copy? Commander Skywalker, do you copy? This is Rogue Two." He held his breath. "Han? Luke?"

There was a sharp crackle of static, and then a faint voice, "Good morning. Nice of you guys to drop by."

Bob inwardly cheered. "Echo Base, this is Rouge Two. I found them. Repeat, I found them." He quickly switched back. "Han, are you guys ok?"

"Fine. Luke's got a little frostbite, but it's nothing to sit up all night over like I know you did."

Bob didn't care. Han could say anything he wanted too; he was just relieved at having found them in one piece. And even though he would never admit it, he knew Han was glad at being found.

"Yes!" Lark said, turning her speeder around and heading back toward the base. She would have liked to have been the one to find them, but when it came right down to it, it didn't matter. There were plenty of opportunities to be heroes, and each and every one of them was, whether they got a glamorous adventure or not. All that really mattered was that Luke and Han were safely on their way back to the base.

**_Sorry, it's a little short, but so is my list of reviewers! I may have to go back to begging again just when my knees were recovering. Please, don't make me get down on them again!_**


	4. Chapter 4 A Startling Discovery

Chapter 4 A Startling Discovery

At the hangar, Lark swapped high fives with Bob while Luke was taken to the med-center. After seeing him emerged in a bacta tank, Lark meandered aimlessly around the base, mulling over courses of action. The accident had been a lucky break; it would keep Han here a little longer, but after that… Lark was so preoccupied in her thoughts, she almost tripped over her father working on a circuit box built into the wall.

"Watch it, hunny. Wouldn't want to electrocute you or myself."

"Sorry." Lark muttered, leaning against the wall and brushing her hair out of her eyes.

"What's got you looking so blue?" Jesse reconnected a couple of wires. "Is Luke ok?"

"Yeah, but that's not it." Lark sighed. "As soon as Luke is up and around again, Han's going to leave before…" she stopped.

"Before what?" Jesse glanced down at his daughter.

"Before he realizes that he and Leia are perfect for each other. Dad, they're the only ones who don't see it. Can't you make him stay?"

"Me? What could I do? I would think you kids have more influence with him than I would."

Lark frowned at the 'k' word. "I'm hardly a kid."

"Barely seventeen."

"I'm not talking about age."

Jesse smiled. "When did you get so wise?"

"I learned from you." Lark grinned back up at him.

Jesse gave her a one-arm hug before returning to the circuit box. "Where's your mother?"

"Helping get the speeders to operate in sub-zero temperatures." Lark told him.

"Maybe I should go help." Jesse said, but he didn't. They both knew that Kimmy could find her way around a tool box better than most men.

"Could you do something for me?" Lark broke the comfortable silence that had stretched between them.

"Depends. How much is it worth to you?" Jesse teased.

Lark punched his shoulder. "I'm serious. I was thinking that you could work with Bob a little today? He's kind of down in the mouth what with everything that's been going on."

"I don't know how you can be so in tune with people's emotions." Jesse said. "Then again, maybe I do." He corrected as he thought of a mentor from a long time ago. His memories drifted back to what seemed like another lifetime before coming back to the present where Lark was waiting for an answer. "Why not? We'll see if he can hold his own in a match against a _real _Jedi."

"And what am I, chopped liver?"

"No, you're too pretty. I'd say prime beef."

Lark pretended to be insulted and turned to leave, but not before Jesse managed to pull her hair. She shot a grin back at him before going to find Bob.

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Jesse's turqoise blade clashed with the blue blade that Bob had constructed under the watchful eye of Obi-Wan, before the Jedi Master had been struck down by his former apprentice. Jesse was actually surprised and pleased with Bob's skills. When Kimmy had found him, not even a full year old, Jesse would never have imagined that 18 years later they would be sparing, and that he would be fighting so hard to defend himself.

However, what really surprised him was the style Bob had while fighting. He let himself go, and Jesse could see glimpses of the Dark Side, as though Bob was allowing it to flow through him to fuel him to fight. Jesse had seen it before, but it had been a while, over 20 years, back when Jedi were still respected...

Jesse killed his blade, causing Bob to raise an eye-brow.

"That...that was pretty good Bob. Great form and skill...and a style of swordsmanship I've not seen in..." Jesse clipped the lightsaber back on his waist and turned and walked off his mind still reeling. It had been too much. Even though it had happened so long ago, seeing that fighting style brought back memories in a flood. He took a moment to clear his mind and wiped his face with his hand.

_Get a grip._ He told himself. Bob probably thinks you've gone crazy. Jesse leaned against the corridor wall and let himself get lost in the past for a moment. Later he would go finish the lesson with Bob, although he wouldn't need much more help if he kept up the good work. For now he needed to be alone.

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Bob stared after the former Jedi, still at a loss of words, which for him was not normal. He saw Lark standing off to the side, having watched the whole exercise. Lark shrugged her shoulders, and as he stowed away his lightsaber, he decided to go pay Lark's mother a visit, hoping she could explain her husband's actions.

Bob found Kimmy still working with the techs, trying to get all speeders adapted to the cold. About 5, three of which had searched for Luke and Han, were ready, but the others were giving them problems. Kimmy looked up as Bob came to stand next to her.

"Hey Bob. Looking for Lark?"

"No, I know where she is. Can I talk to you?"

"Sure." Kimmy stood up and they slowly walked to a more deserted section of the room.

Bob hesitated, unsure of how to begin. "I was sparing with Jesse, and half-way through, he stopped..." Bob tried to remember if anything had happened, but in all truth, he'd been so caught up in the feel of the energy flowing from the Force, he hadn't even noted Jesse's facial expression until suddenly he had stopped and stepped back, startled.

"Lark commed me and told me all about it, as well as that she thought you may come to see me." Kimmy said. "Sit."

"Show off." Bob muttered, causing Kimmy to laugh as they sat on a couple of boxes.

"So, you know what happened, but what I want to know is why?"

Bob nodded.

"From what Lark told me, you favor the 7th form of lightsaber combat."

"What's that?"

"The seventh form of lightsaber combat was created roughly 40 years ago by a Jedi Master from the planet Harrun Kal. The name of the style is Vappad..." she sighed. It had all been so long ago. Sure, Jedi weren't supposed to dwell in the past, but every once in a while, something would jump out at her that made it all seem like yesterday. She was sure that was what had happened with Jesse.

Bob was still waiting for more.

"Jesse's old master, Mace Windu, used that style." She said. Immediately, Bob's face changed from one of confusion to one of understanding. "The way the style works is complicated Bob." She said suddenly. "Be careful."

"Of what?" Bob was puzzled.

"Just be. Follow your instincts and hold close to the Force and the Jedi ways."

"I don't even know the Jedi ways." Bob said. "Not really, just what you've taught me."

Kimmy cocked her head, as if lost in thought. "I once asked my master why there was such a long list of what a Jedi should do and shouldn't do and should be and shouldn't be." She smiled. "That's what we young ones always thought of the code. But she said that the Force is a dangerous weapon. There's a good side and a bad side of everything; the greater the light, the greater the darkness. And since the Force is the purest light, well, the other side is the darkest blackness. The code kept us to the light side and far away from the dark side."

Bob was still confused. "Just what are you trying to tell me?" he asked.

Kimmy would have laughed if the conversation hadn't been so serious. "You sure are the practical one, aren't you?" she looked deep into Bob's eyes. "Never hesitate to use the Force for the good of others. Only if you're intentions aren't perfectly clear, should you wait. I once thought of it as trying to shoot a target in the middle of a crowd on a foggy day. Wait for the fog to clear. Step back and look around. And always remember never to look at yourself, always around you at others."

"Um, thanks." Bob wasn't sure if she'd answered his question or not, but nonetheless, he had a lot of information to absorb. "You should write a book or something."

Kimmy laughed and went back to work while Bob went back to the med bay to see if Luke was out of bacta and awake yet.

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Lark watched the medical droids take Luke out of the bacta tank, wrap him in a robe, and put him into a bed.

"He should wake up soon." They said.

"Thanks." Lark watched them leave before sitting down next to the bed, where Luke frowned and mumbled something in his sleep. Lark tried to send waves of comfort to him through the Force.

_You're safe at base, Luke._ She thought, frowning herself when Luke continued to be disturbed. She tapped into his emotions and felt an interesting amount of sadness and sense of loss.

_From Obi-Wan? _She wondered since that was what she was picking up. Suddenly remembering what Jesse had said about using the Force to snoop, she pulled out of her semi-trance. She could almost hear his voice in her ear,

"_People leave behind stray emotions like they leave behind a scent, and you're blessed – or cursed – enough to be able to interpret them, but that doesn't make it alright to snoop into the feelings that are locked away. It's an invasion of privacy."_

Movement prevented her from rolling her eyes, and she looked down to see Luke waking up.

"Hi." She said when he blinked his eyes open. "Feel better?"

Luke gazed at her for a minute. "Why do people always think they have to say something funny when someone wakes up in a medical center?" he asked.

Lark cocked an eyebrow in a teasing way. "I can be sad if you want." She stood up and grabbed his hand. "Oh, Luke, we were _so_ worried about you! I couldn't sleep at all last night, wondering if you were lying frozen to death somewhere out in the cold!" she wiped away imaginary tears.

Luke jerked his hand away and muttered something under his breath that Lark didn't quite catch.

A beep sounded and Threepio and Artoo entered the room, followed by Bob.

"Master Luke, sir, it's good to see you fully functional again." Threepio said.

"Artoo expresses his relief, also."

Lark smiled that the little droid that had quickly become her favorite.

"You feeling ok, Luke?' Bob asked, obviously worried.

"Fine. Thanks for the rescue, by the way."

"It was mostly Han." But Bob couldn't help a proud smile from crossing his face anyway.

"Did you find my mom?" Lark asked.

Bob nodded as Han and Chewie entered, the Wookiee growling a greeting.

"How are you feeling, kid? You don't look so bad to me. In fact, you look strong enough to pull the ears off a Gundark." Han said, seeming to fill up the room like he always did.

"Thanks to you." Luke said.

Han didn't bother to wave it off like Bob had. "That's two you owe me, junior." He turned as Leia enters the room, giving her a big, devilish grin. "Well your Worship, looks like you managed to keep me around for a little while longer."

Leia lifted her chin a notch. "I had nothing to do with it. General Rieekan thinks it's dangerous for any ships to leave the system until we've activated the energy shield."

"Chewie still has to reinstall a couple of things anyway. Shouldn't take long." Bob said.

"That's a good story. I think you just can't bear to let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight." Han sauntered up to her.

"I don't know where you get you delusions, laser brain."

Lark and Bob exchanged looks over Artoo while Chewie let out a growl that sounded like a laugh.

"Laugh it up, fuzzball. But you didn't see us alone in the south passage." Han said slyly.

Luke looked up at Leia quickly.

"She expressed her true feelings for me." Han continued with an arrogant nod.

Lark covered up her laughter with a cough.

Leia was far from amused. "My...! Why, you stuck up,...half-witted,...scruffy-looking...nerf-herder!" she sputtered.

"Who's scruffy-looking?" Han demanded. "I must have hit her pretty close to the mark to get her all riled up like that, huh, kid?"

Lark caught one look of vulnerability before regaining her composure. She straightened and focused on Luke. "Why, I guess you don't know everything about women yet." With a saucy look at Han, she leaned over and kissed Luke full on the lips. Then turning on her heel, she walked out, leaving everyone in the room slightly dumbstruck except for Lark, who was snorting in laughter and trying not to whoop the way she wanted too. Han glared at her and she immediately sobered.

With some smugness, Luke put his hands behind his head and grinned. Han turned to look at the door, still trying to think of something to say.

"I think she got you there." Bob said.

"Shut up." Han snapped.


	5. Chapter 5 Attack

**_I know, it's been forever. Sorry about that. Things have a way of piling up when you're only home for a few hours in a day minus sleeping. _**

Chapter 5 Attack

After helping Chewie put the remaining pieces of the Falcon together, Bob went back to the healer's ward where Luke was going to be released from as soon as he woke up from another nap. When Bob entered, he was awake and alert, but he looked troubled.

"What's wrong?" Bob asked.

Luke shook his head, and then seemed to change his mind about not telling Bob. "I keep hearing Ben's voice." He said slowly. "And when I was out there, he said to go to Dagobah and find a Master Yoda. I don't know if I was hallucinating or something, but…" he shook his head.

Bob remained silent. "Maybe you need more training than Jesse and Kimmy can give you." He suggested, not knowing why. There was something different about Luke, something that he couldn't put his finger on. "Are you going?'

Luke didn't answer for a long time. Then he slowly nodded. "I am." Resolution grew as he said the two words.

"Do you… I mean… I know he told you, but…" Bob sputtered for a minute.

"Just spit it out, Bob."

"Do you want some company?" Immediately after he'd said it, Bob backtracked. "I mean, I understand if you don't; it is your quest and all, and…"

"Bob." Luke put a stop to the verbal flood. "Two is much better than one. Especially since I have no idea what I'm doing."

"The blind leading the blind." Bob said with a weak grin.

"Headquarters personnel, report to command center." A voice crackled over the loudspeaker.

Bob and Luke looked at each other.

"I wonder what's up." Luke said.

"Don't know, but I'm going find out." Bob hurried to the command center, meeting up with several others heading there as well, including Han and Leia. As they entered, they caught sight of Lark and her parents near a console screen.

"Princess, we have a visitor." Jesse said in a grim tone. "We've picked up something outside the base in zone twelve, moving east. It's metal."

"Then it couldn't be one of those creatures that attacked Luke." Leia said.

"It could be a speeder, one of ours."

"No. Wait - there's something very weak coming through." Kimmy fumbled with some knobs to try and make the sound easier to understand, but it was no good.

"Sir, I am fluent in six million forms of communication." Threepio said after a moment. "This signal is not used by the Alliance. It could be an Imperial code."

The transmission ended in static.

"It isn't friendly, whatever it is. Come on, Chewie, let's check it out." Han started toward the door.

"Send Rogues Ten and Eleven to station three-eight." Jesse said over the loudspeaker. He turned to Han. "I'll go with you."

After bundling up and gathering their gear and weapons, Han, Chewie, and Jesse ventured into the cold, heading toward the spot where the thing had been detected.

"See anything?" Jesse called to Han.

"No, nothing to see." Han answered. "Wait a minute…" Suddenly Han raised his blaster and shot a probe droid that had been ready to fire at Chewie.

"Nice shot." Jesse said. "Hopefully there aren't any more of them." He studied the droid and reached for his comlink.

"Red five, reporting to base. We've found and demolished the threat."

"Afraid there's not much left." Han added.

"What was it?" Leia's voice crackled slightly over the comm.

"Droid of some kind. I didn't hit it that hard. It must have had a self-destruct."

"An Imperial probe droid?" Leia asked.

"It's a good bet the Empire knows we're here." Jesse said. "We'd better start the evacuation."

Kimmy hesitated for only a fraction of a second before hitting the alarm to sound evacuation. Immediately, troops, ground crew, and droids rushed to their stations. Lark watched as the first ship roared to life and shot into the sky, fleeing the planet that would soon become a battlefield if they didn't get out in time.

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Bob was already beginning the starting sequence on the Falcon, not because he was going up in it himself, he was sticking with Luke, but he would feel a lot better about leaving if he knew Han was safely away. Not that anything could be called safe when it came to Han.

Han entered the ship and without a word took over. The Falcon coughed to life and began smoking.

"Okay, that's it. Try it...Off! Turn it off! Turn it off! Off!" Han noticed the smoke rising from a minor explosion on the lifter. Exasperated, Han surveyed the new damage.

Bob hoped it wasn't because of the unnecessary engine repairs he'd had Chewie do. Matchmaking was all well and good, but he'd rather be alive.

"All troops, please report to your stations. Repeat, all troops, please report to your stations."

"Do you need me?" he yelled above Han's muttered swears and the sound of alarms.

"No!"

Bob was still hesitant to leave. "You sure?"

"Go, I've got it here!" Han wasn't even looking at Bob.

Bob took one last look at the mess and then hurried to the fighter jets as the alarms droned on.

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Jesse felt his head spinning from all the laps he was making from different consoles around the room. A controller waved him down and pointed to his computer.

"There's a fleet of Star Destroyers coming out of hyperspace in sector four." He said.

Jesse hissed. They weren't even halfway through the evacuation. "Re-route all power to the energy shield." He said. "We've got to hold them till all transports are away. Prepare for ground assault."

With a renewed sense of urgency, Leia, Kimmy, and Jesse quickly briefed a group of pilots gathered in the center of the hangar. Lark watched, once more feeling insignificant.

"All troop carriers will assemble at the north entrance. The heavy transport ships will leave as soon as they're loaded. Only two fighter escorts per ship. The energy shield can only be opened for a short time, so you'll have to stay very close to your transports."

"Two fighters against a Star Destroyer?" one of the pilots asked.

"The ion cannon will fire several shots to make sure that any enemy ships will be out of your flight path. When you've gotten past the energy shield, proceed directly to the rendezvous point. Understood?"

The pilots answered in the affirmative.

"Good luck. May the Force be with you." Kimmy said.

"Okay. Everyone to your stations. Let's go!" Jesse said.

Lark watched the pilots hurry away, helmets tucked securely under their arms.

"I want to go." She said softly.

"Hunny, you need to look after Leia." Kimmy said gently.

"She doesn't need looking out for." Lark said, turning away. Maybe walking out on her mother in the face of a battle wasn't the brightest thing, but at the moment, Lark didn't care.

Luke and Bob followed the rest of the pilots to their snowspeeders. Bob had just finished the preliminary checks when a voice came over the loudspeaker:

"The first transport is away."

Everyone cheered at the announcement, and then quickly went back to work. They were a long way from a victory that wasn't even guaranteed.

"Well?" he asked his gunner, Janson

"Good to go." Janson answered. "About time we got some action to warm this place up."

Bob grinned, knowing Janson was trying to keep nerves at bay. Adrenaline was coursing through him, making his fingers tingle.

"We have spotted Imperial walkers!" the voice over the loudspeaker heralded the battle. Bob took a deep breath and ducked into his snowspeeder.

"Let's do it."

Luke gunned the engine and as the doors opened, the fleet of snowspeeders raced above the ice field at full throttle. They accelerated away from the base and made a beeline for the distant walkers. Bob clenched his jaw. The giant walkers were giant guns on two legs that could destroy a snowspeeder with one shot. This was going to be close. He took a deep breath and drew the Force up around him to keep his mind focused just like Lark had taught him.

"All right, boys, keep tight now." Luke called to his fleet. "Attack pattern delta. Go now!"

The second Luke said it, the head walker began to fire at the speeders. Out of the corner of his eye, Bob watched two speeders race away past two of the enormous walkers and bank to the right.

"All right, I'm coming in." Luke said, turning his speeder and heading directly at one of the walkers, flying toward its towering legs. Luke flew in to the side of the head walker and headed straight for its viewport, firing in rapid succession. An explosion hit the walker window, but dissipated, doing no harm. Luke quickly pulled away before the walker had a chance to recover and get them.

"That armor's too strong for blasters." Luke said. "Rogue Group, use your harpoons and tow cables. Go for the legs. It might be our only chance of stopping them."

Bob swung his speeder around, but Luke's voice stopped him.

"Rogue Three." Luke called.

"Copy, Rogue Leader." Bob answered.

"Bob, I've lost my gunner, or at least the controls. You'll have to make this shot. I'll cover for you. Set your harpoon. Follow me on the next pass."

"Coming around, Rogue Leader."

"Steady, Rogue Two." Luke said as Bob guided his speeder through the legs of one of the monstrous walkers. He concentrated on pushing his speeder to a perfect pass.

"Activate harpoon." He said to Janson.

"Roger." Janson answered. The harpoon shot out and embedded in one of the walker's legs.

"Good shot, Janson." Bob said. "Now it's time for some fun. He navigated the speeder around one of the giant walker's feet, trailing the cable behind him. Continuing around the back foot, Bob then circled the walker around the tail end.

"One more pass." He muttered.

"Coming around. Once more." Janson confirmed. "One more."

Bob swung the speeder between the legs of the giant walker.

"Cable out! Let her go!" Janson called.

"Detach cable." Bob hit a button, and the cable snapped loose and dropped away.

"Cable detached." Janson said.

Bob rotated his speeder, so he could watched the walker attempt a step, teeter for a moment, and then crash onto the icy ground, sending snow and metal pieces flying.

"Yes!" Bob raised a fist in the air. "That got him!"

"I see it, Bob. Good work." Luke said.


	6. Chapter 6 Escape

**_Not one review for the last chapter! Sniff. Are you punishing me for taking so long to update?_**

Escape

Large chunks of ice tumbled from the ceiling, nearly hitting Lark as she made her way to the command center. She barely noticed, still fuming. She didn't usually get mad, but when she was… watch out. She skirted the console Jesse was at, knowing if she got within five feet of him in this mood he'd sense it. Instead, she waited while he finished talking with Leia.

"I don't think we can protect two transports at a time." Jesse was saying.

"It's risky, but we can't hold out much longer. We have no choice." Leia said.

Jesse raised his comlink. "Launch patrols."

"Evacuate remaining ground staff." Leia said to an aide.

Lark turned away, not wanting to hear any more. Her anger had left her, and she felt like a deflated balloon. Why had she fussed about something as trivial as where she was during the combat? As long as she did her part, did it really matter? She glanced around for Kimmy but she didn't see her. Lark quickly left the control center and began searching the quaking compound. Shouts distracted her, and she rounded a bend to see Han and Chewie frantically working on a very sick Falcon.

"No, no! No! This one goes there, that one goes there. Right?" Han oushed Chewie out of the way and attached some wires.

Lark cleared her throat, but Han still didn't notice her.

"And then this can plug here, that'll send the power up there."

Chewie growled a negative.

"Shut up, you fuzzball. I know what I'm doing."

"It looks like it." Lark muttered.

Han looked up. "What are you doing just standing there? Get me a 17-b wrench."

Lark reached into the unorganized tool box and searched for the correct size wrench. "If you organized things, they might be easier to find."

"Whatever. How goes the fight? Not that one, Chewie, this one!"

"We're out of time." Lark finally found the tool and handed it to Han. "We're launching the last two transports at the same time and hoping they get out. The ground crew's evacuating."

"I meant the actual fight." Han said. "Move, I'll do it." He shoved Chewie away again.

"I haven't heard."

"I'm surprised you aren't out there." Lark didn't have a chance to reply. Han screwed the panel on and climbed back into the cockpit. "This had better work." He muttered, as he began the startup sequence. The Falcon began to steadily hum, and then a burst of sparks blew off another panel. Lark ducked and Chewie moaned.

"D--!" Han slammed the wall.

"Are you sure you'll be able to get out? You don't have much time." Lark asked concertedly.

Han didn't answer, lost in fiddling with more wires. Chewie shrugged and joined him. Sensing that there was nothing she could do here, Lark decided to check back in the command center. Suddenly she needed to hear her father's strong, steady voice or her mother's gentle one, though she doubted there would be anything comforting they could say.

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On the battlefield, the walkers continued to advance, heading for the shield generator. Bob and Luke flew side by side amongst the laser fire.

"Let's try that again. We'll set harpoon. I'll cover for you." Luke told Bob.

"Roger." Bob veered his speeder around. "Coming around."

"Watch that cross fire, boys." Luke cautioned as more rebels on the ground opened fire.

"Set for position three." Bob said. "Steady, Janson."

"Stay tight and low." Luke told him.

"Ten-four." The Force warned Bob right before a laser shot penetrated the spot between him and Luke. Acting instinctively, he jerked his speeder to the side and the laser passed by so close it blackened his tail.

"Nice." Janson said.

"Luke?" Bob called. He turned the speeder around in time to see Luke's speeder dive between the legs of the walker. "Luke!" _Duh, the speeder's probably wrecked._ He realized.

"I'm gonna fly around and see if I can spot him." He said.

"Go for it." Janson answered.

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Apart from the distant thunder of laser blasts, the corridor was strangely quiet and empty as Lark hurried down it. Suddenly she wondered if she'd been left behind again. Not likely, but you never knew, In the chaos it'd be very easy to forget about one person who should be getting to the transport instead of chatting with a pirate. Running footsteps echoed through the freezing hallway behind her, and she turned around in time to see Han appear.

"Come on." He said without breaking stride.

"Where are we going?' Lark broke into a jog to keep up with him.

"We're getting out of here."

"The Falcon still sick?"

"You think I'm leaving her here?"

Lark didn't try to put together Han's logic; she was obviously missing a piece. But as they entered the control center, she found it. Standing next to Threepio by a control board, was Leia.

"You all right?" Han asked.

Leia nodded, trying to hide her surprise. Lark in the meantime, was trying to hide her glee. They may be about to die, but obviously the matchmaking had worked, at least partially.

"Why are you still here?" Leia asked.

"I heard the command center had been hit." Han said.

"You got your clearance to leave." Leia turned away, and Lark inwardly kicked a chair.

"Don't worry. I'll leave." Han assured her. "First I'm going to get you to your ship."

"Your Highness, we must take this last transport. It's our only hope." Threepio said.

_Leave it to Threepio._ Lark thought. "Where's my dad?" she asked.

"Send all troops in sector twelve to the south slope to protect the fighters." Leia said to one of the remaining controllers. "He went to clear out sector seven. Kimmy's overseeing the transport."

A blast rocked the command center, throwing Threepio backward into Han's arms and Lark against the wall.

"Imperial troops have entered the base." The announcer called in a strangely calm voice.

"Come on, that's it." Han took Leia's arm.

"Give the evacuation code signal. And get to your transports!" Leia called as Han practically dragged her to the door.

"Oh! Wait for me!" Threepio quickly followed with lark right beside him. At the door, she glanced back, studying the command center for the last time.

"Never a safe place…" she murmured. Turning, she followed Han and Leia.

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Bob spun his speeder around, trying to avoid flak and laser bolts from both sides as well as scan the area for Luke. Finally he gave up on the latter.

"I'll fly, you look!" he told Janson.

"Deal." His gunner replied. There was silence in the speeder for a few minutes. "There! I see him!"

"Where?" Bob wanted to turn around and look for himself, but that would obstruct Janson's view.

"By the walker. He's… what _is_ he doing?"

"How should I know?' Bob muttered.

"He's firing his cable line at the walker's underside." Janson said.

"What?" Bob tried to figure out what that would do.

"He's climbing up." Janson continued. "Almost there… a little more… he's there! He's opening the hatch. Fly back around, Bob, I can't see."

"Maybe I should just hover." Bob joked as he readjusted his speeder's position.

"Only if you want to get shot out of the sky. I don't see him, where's he go?"

"Did her fall?"

"No, there's no one on the ground. I don't see… Wait! He's on top! Bob, get away now!"

Without questioning his gunner, Bob proverbially floored his accelerator and raced away from the walker as a loud explosion shook the area. There was no need to ask what had happened, Luke had obviously killed the walker.

"I'm flying around to see if he's ok." Bob said.

"Bob!" a voice came over Bob's individual comlink.

"Luke! Great work!"

"They're going for the shield generator!" Lule said, ignoring the compliment. "See if you can get the other walker to trip over the one that just fell."

"I'll see what I can do." Bob said.

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Threepio lagged behind as Han, Lark, and Leia raced through the crumbling ice corridors. An explosion that was too close for comfort knocked nearly knocked them all off their feet and knocked the ceiling down right in their path. Han hesitated only an instant before pulling a comlink out of his pocket.

"Transport, this is Solo. Better take off - I can't get to you. I'll get the princess out on the Falcon."

"Uh…" Lark remembered the condition of the ship. But she refrained from saying anything as they raced back the way they had come. A broken ship was better than no ship at all, and they still had a precious few minutes.

"But...but...but...where are you going? Uh...come back!!" Threepio stopped and stared at them. Lark rolled her eyes, grabbed the droid by the arm, and pulled him along.

"Ouch, I protest. Miss Lark, you're pulling my arm out of its socket!" Threepio protested.

Lark didn't pay any attention.

Chewie paced under the shelter of the Millennium Falcon's landing gear, letting out a relieved shriek at seeing them finally arrive. Without further ado, they ran up the ramp and into the ship.

"You did fix this thing, right?" Lark asked.

"Just buckle up." Han said, frantically flipping switches.

Lark and Leia exchanged distressed looks as another explosion rocked the hangar.

"How's this?" Han asked Chewie, who barked a negative.

"Would it helped if I got out and pushed?" Leia asked.

"It might." Han's tone conveyed a glare that he was too busy to actually give.

"Captain Solo, Captain Solo...sir, might I suggest that you..." Threepio began, but Han made the time to give him the look.

"It can wait." Threepio said.

"This bucket of bolts is never going to get us past that blockade." Leia said.

"This baby's got a few surprises left in her, sweetheart." Han said, still not looking up.

"Um, Han." Lark pointed put the window to where stormtroopers were pouring into the far side of the hangar.

Wordlessly, Han strapped himself into the pilot's seat and Leia into the navigator's chair.

"Come on! Come on! Switch over. Let's hope we don't have a burnout." Han yelled to Chewie.

A laser hit the window near Chewie as he settled into his chair. Letting out a loud yelp, Chewie quickly pulled back on the controls and the first stage of engine fire could be heard. To the group on board, it was the most beautiful sound in the world.

Han flashed a big grin at Leia. "See?"

"Someday you're going to be wrong, and I hope I'm there to see it." Leia said.

"Punch it!" Han told Chewie.

The Falcon lurched forward and sped outside, leaving the hangar and stormtroopers in the dust.

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Bob looked up as the Millenium Falcon whipped by and shot into the heavens. He raised a fist both in celebration and in farewell, leaving his arm raised for a moment. Luke came and stood next to him, and they stood for a moment, each making a silent prayer for the safety of both their comrades and themselves. Then wordlessly they turned joined the rest of the pilots boarding the remaining ships that would take them to the rendezvous point where the rebels were meeting up.

Bo followed Luke to their Y-Wing. As they climbed aboard and Luke started the engine, Bob glanced back into the hangar.

"I never thought I'd say I'd miss this place." He said. "It was nice, at least for a little while, to be safe."

Luke nodded but didn't say anything, and the ship accelerated and flew into the sky, leaving the dazzlingly white planet behind them.

Deep in thought, Bob didn't notice Luke flipping switches until the stars shifted as the fighter turned sharply. He glanced at Luke.

"We're not going to the rendezvous, are we?"

"You said you wanted to come with me." Luke said.

"I still do."

Artoo beeped reproachfully.

Luke chuckled. "Don't worry, Artoo. I know what I'm doing."

"I hope so." Bob muttered, looking out at the vast emptiness of space. "I sure hope so."


	7. Chapter 7 And Yet So Far

**_Now look guys, I know I haven't updated in a while, but that could have to do with the pathetic number of reviews, especially compared with the previous stories in this sequence. Just a little 'good job' if you like it or 'needs work' if you don't? I mean come on, you are writers, you should be able to come up with _something**

And Yet So Far

"Well it's flying." Lark muttered. "But not much else."

"Just give me a couple minutes." Han said. His hands were moving so fast, they could barely be seen as he tried to do six things at once.

"Something I can do?" Lark asked.

"Yes! No! Just…"

Just then Chewie let out a howl.

"I saw them! I saw them!" Han said.

"Saw what?" Leia asked.

"Star Destroyers, two of them, coming right at us." Han answered, not pausing in his button-pushing, switch-flipping, dial-turning tirade.

Threepio entered the crowded cockpit, staggering as the ship lurched back and forth. "Sir, sir! Might I suggest..."

"Shut him up or shut him down!" Han snapped. "Chewie, check the deflector shield!"

Chewie barked a reply as he readjusted an overhead switch.

"Oh, great. Well, we can still out-maneuver them."

Lark glanced out the window and her heart sank into her stomach as she saw what they were running from. Would they ever be able to stop for two seconds long enough to catch their breath?

She had always prided herself on the ability to do whatever she was told in an emergency without getting in the way of the person in charge, and if she couldn't do anything, to sit tight and keep her mouth shut. But this time, she couldn't help but ask in a small voice, "Can't we jump to light speed?"

"I'm getting there!" Han's voice made her sink back in her chair and resolve not to say anything else. "Prepare to make the jump to light-speed."

"But, sir!" Threepio protested. Lark shook her head at him.

"They're getting closer!" Leia cried as the buffeting of laserbolts grew rougher.

"Oh yeah?" Han prepared to leave his enemies in the dust with a gleam in his eye. "Watch this." He pushed a button.

Automatically, everyone looked out the window to watch the stars blur and then disappear altogether as they jumped to lightspeed. Only it didn't happen. Han stared incredulously at his monitor wondering what had gone wrong.

"Watch what?" Leia asked.

Han tried again, but there wasn't any indication that the Falcon was even trying. "I think we're in trouble."

"If I may say so, sir, I noticed earlier the hyperdrive motivator has been damaged. It's impossible to go to light-speed!" Threepio announced.

"We're in trouble!" Han said, wincing as the explosions coming from behind became louder and more violent.

"You got your wish, Leia." Lark said despite her vow of silence.

"And now I wish I didn't."

"Chewie, let's get working on this." Han finally snapped out of his state of unbelief. "Let's get back there and check out our systems. Girls, don't crash."

"What are we going to crash into?" Lark muttered as Han left the cockpit. She took a deep breath and noticed that her hands were shaking. Quickly, she tucked them under her legs.

Leia shot her a sympathetic look. "I'm scared too."

"I just wish I could do something." Lark said. "I wish…" she stopped. What she really wished was that she hadn't snapped at her mom before leaving. Now who knew if she'd ever even see her again.

"I would say Han will get us out of this, but I honestly don't know if he can." Leia said.

"He's pretty resourceful." Lark said.

Suddenly, a loud thump hit the side of the Falcon, causing it to lurch radically. Leia and Lark both jumped and looked out the windows. A field of floating rocks lay before them. Leia reached for her comlink.

"Han, get up here!" she called.

Not two seconds later, Han was in the cockpit.

"Asteroids!" Leia pointed.

Han practically dived into Leia's chair, and she readily relinquished it. Lark did the same with Chewie, standing beside Leia.

"Oh, no! Chewie, set two-seven-one." Han shouted.

"What are you doing?" Leia demanded. "You're not actually going into an asteroid field?"

Lark's eyes sparkled. "That's brilliant!"

Thank you!" Han said. "It's about time someone appreciates me."

Leai rolled her eyes. "You're crazy."

"No, they're crazy. At least they would be if they followed us."

Leia winced as another asteroid thumped against the ship.

"You don't have to do this to impress me." She said.

"Believe me, I'm not."

Lark glanced out the window. "Uh, maybe I should take the controls." She said.

Han looked up. "What?"

"Han!" Leia shouted.

Han jerked the ship out of the path of an asteroid almost half the size of it.

"I'll take Chewie's chair."

Han snorted. "Good luck. Chewie doesn't like to be undermined by women."

Lark raised her eyebrows and turned to Chewie. "Please?" she said, making her puppy-dog look. Chewie shrugged and stood up.

"Thank you." Smiling triumphantly at Han, Lark sat primly in the chair and took the controls. Han ignored her.

"I still say this is a bad idea." Leia muttered. "Even with a Jedi at the helm."

"She's not at the helm!"

"Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately three thousand, seven hundred and twenty to one." Threepio said.

"Never tell me the odds!" Han was getting worked up. Leia and Threepio subsided.

"Alright, do you know what you're doing?" Han asked Lark. "He may not have a problem surrendering the copilot's chair to you, but I don't want…"

"I've got it." Lark cut him off. "You forget our first fight."

"I don't deny that you can shoot, but that's not all it takes." Han said.

"I know; it's under control."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Han muttered.

They flew in silence, Han and Lark working in perfect coordination. After a while even Lark's calm Jedi demeanor was beginning to resemble Leia's white-faced, tight-lipped look. Han was just as nervous and just as unable to waste energy hiding it.

"Are they following us?" Lark broke the silence as her radar almost seemed to pick up something.

"I don't know." Han snapped.

Silence reigned once more.

"You said you wanted to be around when I made a mistake; well, this could be it, sweetheart." Han said, glancing back at Leia.

"I take it back. We're going to get pulverized if we stay out here much longer." Leia said, her tone revealing just how stressed she was. Lark didn't blame her; she'd much rather be in the chair where she was. At least then she had some control.

"I'm not going to argue with that." Han said.

"Pulverized?" Threepio whimpered.

"I'm going in closer to one of the big ones." Han said quietly.

"Closer?" Leia demanded.

"Closer?!" Threepio shrieked.

Chewbacca barked, presumably, the same word, only louder.

Lark glanced at Han. "Closer." She said knowingly.

They steered the Millennium Falcon toward the surface of one of the moon-sized asteroids, carefully avoiding flying rocks and bits of rock. Nevertheless, the Falcon rocked slightly as they neared the asteroid.

"Oh, this is suicide!" Threepio wailed, practically hysteric.

Lark grit her teeth. _Ignore him. _She coached herself. _Focus._

Han nudged her. "There. That looks pretty good."

"What looks pretty good?" Leia asked.

Lark looked where he was pointing and nodded. "Perfect.

"What?"

"Yeah. That'll do nicely." Han winked at Lark, enjoying the opportunity to tease Leia.

"Grow up." She muttered.

"Excuse me, your Highness, but where are we going? Threepio asked.

"Who knows?" Leia muttered.

Lark grinned. "Look."

The surface of the asteroid was skimming by, and looming ahead, they could see a large crater. Han gave Lark a nod, and she expertly piloted the Falcon into the hole.

"I hope you know what you're doing." Leia said, her eyes as wide as the crater.

"Yeah, me too." Han said, retaking the controls to fly them through the cavern. "Here we go." He slid them gently through another cavern mouth and landed the ship. "Shut down." He told Lark. "Everything but the emergency power systems."

"Right." Lark glanced at Chewie, not wanting to push it. "Do you want to…"

Chewie gave a growl that Lark took as a thank you and slid back into his place.

"Sir," Threepio spoke up hesitantly. "I'm almost afraid to ask, but...does that include shutting me down, too?"

Chewie barked something, but Han held up a hand.

"No, I need you to talk to the Falcon, find out what's wrong with the hyperdrive." He said. "You may be useful after all."

Suddenly, the ship lurched, causing all the loose items in the cockpit to go flying. The passengers somehow managed to stay on their feet.

"Sir, it's quite possible this asteroid is not entirely stable." Threepio said.

"You think?" Lark shook her head.

"Not entirely stable? I'm glad you're here to tell us these things. Chewie, take the professor in the back and plug him into the hyperdrive." Han looked about ready to shoot something.

"Oh! Sometimes I just don't understand human behavior. After all, I'm only trying to do my job in the most..." Threepio moaned as he went out back to the hold.

"Always trust a droid to state the obvious." Given her preference, Lark would rather have Artoo instead of Threepio on board. The astro-droid wasn't quite so negative and… well 'droid-ish' for lack of a better word, but nobody had asked her.

The ship lurched again, throwing Leia across the cabin into Han's arms. Then as abruptly as it had started, the motion stopped. With some surprise, Han and Leia realized they were in each other's arms. Lark turned away to hide a grin.

"Let go." Leia said flatly.

"Sshh!" Han said.

"Let go, please." Leia's tone wasn't quite as emotionless as the first time. Lark carefully avoided both of their gazes, although they were locked on each other anyway. She quietly slipped over to behind the doors where she could eavesdrop, creating the illusion that they were alone. Then she peeked.

Leia wasn't exactly fighting to get free, but she didn't look that comfortable either. Lark held her breath.

"Don't get excited." Han said.

Lark smacked her forehead.

"Captain, being held by you isn't quite enough to get me excited." Now the only emotion in Leia's voice was anger.

"Sorry, sweetheart. We haven't got time for anything else." Han winked at Leia and turned toward the door. Lark quickly pretended to be entering.

"What was that?" Lark asked coyly.

"Go away." Leia's confused emotions were showing very clearly on her face. Lark shrugged and followed Han. Matchmaking later; right now survival was first on the list.

"Oh, where is Artoo when I need him?" Threepio was muttering when Lark entered followed by Leia. "Sir, I don't know where your ship learned to communicate, but it has the most peculiar dialect. I believe, sir, it says that the power-coupling on the negative axis has been polarized. I'm afraid you'll have to replace it." He said to Han.

"Well, of course I'll have to replace it." Han said, handing a wire coil up to Chewie who was working near the ceiling.

"Here! And Chewie..." Han dropped his voice, and Lark snatched at the words with the Force. "...I think we'd better replace the negative power-coupling." Han glanced over at Leia to see if she'd heard, but she was to busy struggling with a lever of some sort. Lark raised her eyebrows as he moved to help her.

_Now maybe if he can get off his ego for two seconds to avoid messing things up… _Lark stopped and winced as Leia rebuffed Han's gesture.

"Hey, Your Worship, I'm only trying to help." Han said, quickly covering up his hurt.

"Would you please stop calling me that?" Leia sounded more than a little pathetic.

Han noticed the new tone too, one of helplessness. He immediately softened. "Sure, Leia."

Lark inwardly clapped and stepped back to eavesdrop once more.

"Oh, you make it so difficult sometimes." Leia muttered.

"I do, I really do." Han agreed. "You could be a little nicer, though." There was a pause in which Lark decided Leia was agreeing but not admitting.

"Come on, admit it. Sometimes you think I'm all right." Han prodded.

"Occasionally." Leia said reluctantly. "Maybe...when you aren't acting like a scoundrel." She said, smiling.

"Scoundrel? Scoundrel? I like the sound of that." Han said, closing in. Lark inwardly cheered him on.

"Stop that." Leia suddenly said.

"Stop what?"

Lark was asking the same question, wishing she could see.

"Stop that!" Leia repeated. "My hands are dirty."

_He must be holding her hands or something._ Lark decided.

"My hands are dirty, too. What are you afraid of?"

Lark had to admit it, Han was good. Once he got over himself, that is.

"Afraid?" Leia's voice was small.

"You're trembling." Han said, his voice low and confident.

"I'm not trembling." Leia said, completely unconvincing.

Lark had had it. If they were going to kiss, she was going to see it, not hear it. She inched herself over. If she could get behind the instrument panel without them seeing her, running the risk of ruining the moment, she would be able to see.

"You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life." Han said.

_Almost there…_

"I happen to like nice men." Leia was once more completely unconvincing.

"I'm a nice man."

Lark's toe nudged a loose wrench, but no noise ruptured the romance-filled atmosphere. She stretched and just managed to peer around.

"No, you're not." Leia said. "You're..."

Han cut it off with a kiss. Lark wanted to pump a fist, but she was physically incapable of it what with being squeezed in between a wall an instrument panel. A flash of gold flashed in the corner of her eye.

_No… _

"Sir, sir! I've isolated the reverse power flux coupling." Threepio announced.

Han turned slowly, icily, from their embrace, his gaze shooting daggers. Lark herself was ready to stick him into a cauldron of boiling metal and make a golden something out of him.

"Thank you. Thank you very much." Only a droid could miss Han's look that he quickly masked.

"Oh, you're perfectly welcome, sir."

The moment spoiled, Han marched out after Threepio.

Jesse expertly piloted his ship to the landing pad at Sallust. Already he could see some of the rebel fleet getting geared up and ready to fly. Obviously there wouldn't be much time for relaxing. Jesse rubbed his eyes wearily as he taxied to the hangar. When was there ever time for relaxing? If they weren't strategizing, they were fighting, and if they weren't fighting they were running for their lives. Jesse could tell the strain wasn't just on him alone. Exhaustion and tight-lippedness seemed to be a permanent fixture for everyone, especially Kimmy. Jesse wished he could do something to shelter her, her and Lark who had already been exposed to way too much for a girl her age. He glanced at Kimmy, who was lightly dozing, and his face softened. It seemed like forever since they'd been able to simply relax and spend time together alone. Bending over, he kissed her gently on the lips.

"What?" she woke up. "Are we there?"

Jesse nodded and turned back to the controls, shutting down the ship. Immediately the ground crew came to meet them. Jesse nodded to acknowledge their greetings and made his way to the command center. There would be no resting for a while. He probably should've taken Kimmy up on her offer to fly for a while. Too late now.

"There you are." Ackbar said as Jesse entered. "We were getting a little antsy."

"Well I'm here." Jesse said wearily.

If Ackbar noticed that Jesse was dragging, he didn't say anything. Instead he looked over Jesse's shoulder. "Where's Leia?"

"She took another ship. I would think it would be here by now." Jesse jerked out of the fog he'd been slipping into.

"No."

"But we were the last ones." Jesse's mind raced. Not again.

Ackbar didn't answer. He didn't need to. Their eyes locked, and they both shared the same thought. _This is not good._


	8. Chapter 8 Arrivals and Departures

_**Shout out to my reviewers: catgirlSerentiy, Emerald Tiara, and darthNexus9000! Whoo! Reviewers make me so happy (and a happy writer writes better, hint hint...) Thank you!!!**_

Chapter 8 Arrivals and Departures

Lark watched Leia sitting in the cockpit running her fingers on the edge of the control panel, a half smile on her lips. She sat next to the princess.

"You two make a cute couple."

Leia jerked around. "What…you saw…you know?"

Lark rolled her eyes and stepped next to Leia. "I already knew. I've got eyes you know. Bob and I were expecting something like this."

Leia paled. "Bob knows too?"

"I think you were the only one who didn't know."

Leia shook her head helplessly. "I love him." She whispered as if it was a crime. "I can't help it."

"So don't. I mean honestly, it's not like there's some rule against Princesses marrying."

"He's a pirate."

"And? He saved our tails more than once you know."

Leia looked away.

Lark couldn't believe Leia was being this petty. So he was a pirate. Worse matches had been made. Like a senator and a Jedi…

She was going to say something when something outside the cockpit window caught her eye. She glanced over, but the reflection of the panel lights obscured her vision until suddenly a soft suction-like cup attached itself to the windscreen.

"What's that?" she muttered, moving closer. Leia looked up.

Large, yellow eyes flashed out of the darkness, making Lark stumble back and grope for her saber, heart pounding, while Leia jumped back into her seat. The eyes disappeared, and there was a scurrying sound.

"What was that?" Lark asked as they both jumped up and ran from the cockpit.

"I don't know." Lark really didn't want to know. She scolded herself. She'd encountered much scarier things before than a pair of eyes. But the way they'd appeared and disappeared like that had given her shivers. Just thinking about it did. They burst into the hold area.

"There's something out there." Leia announced breathlessly.

Han spun around. "Where?

"Outside, in the cave." Lark said. Even as she spoke, there was a sharp banging noise on the hull. Chewie barked anxiously.

"There it is. Listen! Listen!" Threepio once more stated the obvious.

"I'm going out there." Han stood.

"Are you crazy?!" Leia looked at him incredulously.

"I just got this bucket back together. I'm not going to let something tear it apart." Han brushed by her.

Leoa and Lark exchanged looks and followed.

"We're going with you." Leia said. Her tone boded no argument.

"I think it might be better if I stay here and guard the ship…" Threepio stammered as another noise was heard. "Oh, no."

Lark rolled her eyes and grabbed a breather. Han wasn't protesting, though he obviously wasn't happy about them coming along. Actually, she didn't think he could care less about her. It was Leia he was worried about. But eh must've realized she would come anyway.

_He's learning._ She applauded inwardly.

It was enormously dark in the huge asteroid cave, too dark to see anything except her white suited companions, let alone what was attacking the ship. Leia stamped her foot on the floor of the cave.

"This ground sure feels strange. It doesn't feel like rock at all."

Han and Lark knelt, trying to see something, anything, in the pitch black.

"There's an awful lot of moisture in here." Han muttered.

Lark tuned in her senses, using the Force to probe the area. Leia was right, it was soft. And slimy. And… alive?

"What?" she muttered. She had to be wrong.

Chewie let out a bark and pointed to a five foot long shape floating near the top of the Falcon. Han aimed with his laser gun and the creature fell with a shriek.

"Watch out!" Han warned as it fell right in front of them. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Mynock. Chewie, check the rest of the ship, make sure there aren't any more attached. They're chewing on the power cables."

_See, that's what you sensed. Nothing to worry about._ Lark tried to reassure herself.

"Go on inside. We'll clean them off if there are any more." Han said.

Just then, a swarm of the ugly creatures swooped through the air. Leia and Lark put their arms over their head to protect themselves as they ran toward the ship.

"Delightful creatures." Lark muttered.

Han was still looking around the strange, dripping cave. "Wait a minute..." he pulled out his blaster and fired at the far side of the huge cave. The cavern immediately began to shake. "Let's go!" he shouted.

Lark followed them as they rushed to the cockpit. _Idiot! _She fumed._ Never, never, never, ever, EVER ignore your instincts!_

The ship continued to shake as Chewie shut the hatch and they started up the Falcon.

"All right, Chewie, let's get out of here!" Han shouted.

The Wookiee heads for the cockpit as Han, followed by Threepio, rushes to the hold area and checks the scopes on the control panel. Leia hurries after.

"The Empire is still out there." Leia said, still oblivious to the fact that they were inside a living creature instead of a cave. "I don't think it's wise to..."

"No time to discuss this as a committee." Han brushed her off, momentarily lapsing into his old self.

"I am not a committee!" Leia stomped after him.

"Leia, shut up." Lark said, sliding into Chewie's seat without thinking. Thankfully the wookie didn't protest.

Leia looked in shock at Lark and then regained her momentum. "You can't make the jump to light-speed in this asteroid field..."

"Sit down, sweetheart. We're taking off!" Han interrupted.

As the ship began to move forward, Chewie barked.

"Look!" Threepio saw it too.

"I see it, I see it." Han said.

Lark glanced at where he was looking. A row of jagged white stalagmites and stalactites were surrounding the entrance, but as the Falcon drew near, they seemed to grow closer, as if the entrance was shrinking. Han pulled hard on the throttle, sending the ship surging forward.

"We're doomed!" Threepio cried.

"The cave is collapsing." Leia murmured.

"This is no cave." Han said, pushing the Falcon faster.

"What?" realization struck leia full in the face. Her jaw dropped as she realized that the rocks were teeth, and the mouth just that. Chewie howled as they Han flipped them sideways and they squeezed through two of the gigantic white teeth just before the huge jaws slammed closed.

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Bob glanced out the window as the Y-Wing sped towards the cloud cover of Dagobah. Artoo beeped anxiously.

Luke chuckled. "Yes that's Dagobah."

Artoo beeped a hopeful inquiry.

"No, I'm not going to change my mind about this."

Bob grinned and looked at the panel. "We're not picking up any cities or technology. Massive life-form readings, though. There's something alive down there..."

Luke glanced at the readings as Artoo beeped again.

Bob smiled again. "Yes, I'm sure it's perfectly safe for droids." He said.

"Let's hope so." Luke muttered.

"Second thoughts?"

"More like hundredth."

"We can turn around." Bob said.

Luke shook his head. "No, we can't. I have to be here, whether it's safe or not."

Bob felt the same. Artoo didn't though. He beeped again.

Luke managed a half smile. "Don't worry Artoo. We'll be fine."

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Jesse wasn't looking forward to this. At all. Who knew how Kimmy would react? Actually he did. She would want to go with him to look, and that would be way too dangerous. Jesse didn't want to have to deal with worrying about his daughter and his wife at the same time. But how to get away without looking like he'd totally forgotten about her?

"Daj." He called to a passing pilot. "You heard about Lark, right?" Jesse barely waited for a nod. "Good. Could you tell Kimmy what happened after I leave?"

Daj looked unsure, and in all honestly, Jesse didn't blame him. Who wanted to get caught in the middle of a spousal war?

"Here." Jesse scribbled a note on a piece of paper. "Give this to her."

"Well…" Daj still hesitated, but he took it. After all, technically Jesse was his superior and could just order him to do it.

"Great." Jesse clapped him on the shoulder and hurried down the corridor to the hangar.

_On the road again._ When would he be able to sleep? He entered the hangar and went for the fastest, most ready-looking ship he could find. He checked fuel. It was good to go.

"Jesse."

Jesse cringed. It was the most beautiful voice in the world, but also the voice he least wanted to hear at the moment. He turned slowly.

"Where are you going?" Kimmy demanded. "No, let me save you from lying. Why didn't you tell me where you were going?"

"I was in a hurry. I sent Daj with a note."

"And instructions not to give it to me until after it was too late to catch up with you?" Kimmy put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

Darn, she knew him too well.

"Kimmy, I just wanted at least one of my loved ones to be safe. But suit yourself. It's not like you're never wrong." He couldn't keep the accusation out of his voice, though he didn't try all that hard either.

Now Kimmy's glare was like an ice dagger. "_What _is that supposed to mean?" she demanded, each word an arrow aimed straight at him.

"You were the one who wanted Lark to stay with us. Something about how short life is. Which by the way, it's even more so when you make it shorter."

"You were the one who wanted to train Lark."

"So she'd know how to protect herself."

"Bull." They were really getting into it now. "You wanted Lark to be a Jedi. Not some maiden sitting on the sidelines waiting for others to fight the war for her."

"And you were the one who wanted her up in those fighters getting killed."

"She'd be safer up there."

Now it was Jesse's turn to say bull. "You mean she'd be safer getting shot at by the emperor's troops than protected by ours? Now that's something I never would have thought of. Amazing the way your mind works. If it does that is."

Kimmy's face was gradually turning darker and darker red. It reminded Jesse of the day on Tatooine when she'd admitted she liked him. That day seemed like decades ago, and he refused to let it soften him for an instant.

"At least then she'd have weapons to protect herself with instead of waiting for someone to bail her out every time we have to evacuate because her _father _forgets to bring her along." It was a low blow, but Kimmy didn't care at the moment.

Jesse refused to flinch. "This is pointless." He growled. "I'm going try to find her."

"And I'm coming."

"Try no."

"Why not?" Kimmy demanded. She stepped in front of him. "You're so big and manly you have to do everything yourself no matter how much you screw it up?"

It was all his failures mocking him. Jesse raised his fist and Kimmy thought for an instant that he was going to hit her, but he slammed it into the ship instead, somehow appreciating the pain that radiated up his arm. He didn't let it show on his face though.

"I suppose that's supposed to intimidate me?" Even as mad as she was, Kimmy knew she shouldn't have said that.

Jesse sent a force shove in her direction, which she easily anticipated and sent back at him. He was expecting it too, and the pressure built. Finally it broke, sending them bothe staggering back. Jesse's hand went to his lightsaber, and Kimmy froze in shock her own hand automatically finding hers.

Jesse stopped. There was a line a Jedi did not cross, and that was drawing on a fellow Jedi. It was the number on no no, written in red as bright as the color he was seeing at the moment. And no matter what Kimmy said, he could never draw on her. He slammed the ship again and shoved her aside, boarding the ship.

Relief made Kimmy want to cry. She toughened herself up, forbidding herself to do so.

"Go then!" she yelled as Jesse shut the hatch. "I hope the emperor kills you so I won't have to." she spun on her heel so he wouldn't see the tears she couldn't hold back.

Jesse was too mad to feel the sharp sting of her words at the moment, but he knew he would later. He planned to put a lot of distance between himself and the rebel base before that happened.


	9. Chapter 9 Hellos and Goodbyes

Chapter 9 Hellos and Goodbyes

"Careful, Luke." Bob said as they drew closer to the planet. Clouds obscured their view, making it impossible to see anything.

Luke nodded, glancing at his altitude instruments. They were still a ways up. Bob made a double take.

"Shouldn't that be dropping?" he asked, tapping the glass over the instrument. The numbers remained unmoving.

Luke looked worriedly at the gage. "Perfect." He muttered. Artoo beeped. "I know, I know! All the scopes are dead. I can't see a thing! Just hang on, I'm going to start the landing cycle, we shouldn't be too far away…"

Vines and branches leaped out of the fog, and Bob automatically ducked as Artoo beeped frantically. Luke tried to hold the fighter steady, and with a tremendous jolt, they stopped.

"Some landing." Bob pulled a switch to open the hatch, and the three emerged, sweaty and tense. "We'll never get the ship out." he muttered.

"Not much to see." Luke observed. "Think this is it?"

"It'd better be." Bob stared at the massive, twisted tree trunks. "Artoo stay here while we have a look around."

Artoo let out a short beep as Bob and Luke sloshed forward. The footing was completely unpredictable, sometimes as solid as rock and other times endless mud or water. Bob gave up trying to keep water from pouring over the top of his boots. He'd dry them out later.

A splash jerked their attention back tot eh ship, some feet away. Artoo was nowhere to be seen.

"Artoo?" Luke called. They hurried back and stared into the water, looking for a clue. The water remained still, revealing no sign of the droid.

"Artoo!" Bob called.

A small periscope broke the surface of the water, making them both jump back. The periscope began to move to shore.

"Artoo! You be more careful." Luke said, breathing a deep sigh of relief.

"Well that was eventful." Bob tried to lighten the tension. "Now that?"

"I have no idea." Luke admitted. "I guess we just look around until…we find something."

"Great plan."

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Kimmy paced back and forth as the reality of the argument – no, better make that fight – sunk in. She'd been right, but she'd also been tired and worried and had totally overreacted.

_Yes, Kimmy. Very good. Send your husband off with a death wish when that's a very real possibility. Very good indeed. _

She ran a hand through her blonde hair and let it fall back across her forehead as she hung her head, sinking into a chair. This was no time to be leaving without making up, and they'd done just that.

She thought back to their wedding day. It had been both the happiest and the saddest day of her life. There had been no fancy dress, just her grimy, bloodstained clothes, no friends and family except for Obi-Wan, Yoda, and two babies, and no music or flowers, but it had been a day Kimmy had never regretted, even when she was smoking out of her ears.

Kimmy got up and went to the communication center.

"I need to send…" she began but was cut off.

"No one's sending anything for a while." She was told by the comm. officer.

"But…"

"Sorry, we need to make sure the empire can't monitor or pick up on our transmissions." He turned back to his panel.

Kimmy clenched her jaw and concentrated through the Force, but she couldn't reach Jesse. She hoped he was just blocking her out rather than that something had happened.

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They roamed around for a while, but eventually gave up on finding any clues, at least for the moment. As darkness settled in, Luke Bob and Artoo made themselves comfortable on a relatively dry spot and dug into the emergency supplies.

"Well, we're here." Bob said suddenly. Silence had been prevailing, and Luke and Artoo both looked over at him.

"I guess. Now all we have to do is find this Yoda...if he even exists." Luke said.

Bob shrugged. "How hard can it be?" he didn't like to think about the impossible. There were a lot more things that actually _were_ possible. It was possible that there really was a Yoda, and it was possible he was here. It was possible that even if he wasn't someone else was, someone who could point them in the right direction, and if not, it was very possible that they could rejoin the rebels and continue fighting. It was possible that they could destroy the empire and recreate a democracy with Jedi once more maintaining the peace. All of that was possible, and none of it was impossible.

Luke didn't seem to see tings that way. After giving Bob a look that said 'shut up and eat', silence reigned again.

"Still...there's something familiar about this place." Luke suddenly said. "I feel like...I don't know..."

"Feel like what?"

"Ah!" Bob and Luke jumped up, grabbed their lightsabers, and stared at the thing that had been sitting there watching them. They opened their mouths in shock. A small greenish creature, no more than three feet tall, was standing right in front of them, regarding them as if he knew them.

"…like we're being watched." Luke finished.

"Away with your weapons! I mean you no harm." The creature chuckled, almost as if he thought they wouldn't be a match for him anyway. Bob reluctantly put down his saber.

"I am wondering, why are you here?" the creature asked.

"We're looking for someone." Luke answered stiffly.

"Looking? Found someone, you have, I would say, hmmm?" the creature chuckled again.

Bob tried not to grin. "Right."

"Help you I can. Yes, mmmm." The creature went on as if this was the most normal occurrence in the world.

"I don't think so. We're looking for a great warrior." Luke scoffed.

"Ahhh! A great warrior." Now the creature was patronizing. "Wars not make one great." The creature moved toward the supplies. Bob and Luke watched him suspiciously, but they didn't stop him. Artoo moved closer until he was staring at him at eye level. The creature picked up something off of Luke's plate and tasted it.

"Put that down." Luke protested. "Hey! That's my dinner."

The creature spit out the bite he took taken and made a face. "How you get so big, eating food of this kind?" he flipped the food in Luke's direction and picked up one of the supply cases.

"Listen, friend," Luke tried again, "we didn't mean to land in that puddle, and if we could get our ship out, we would, but we can't, so why don't you just..."

"Aww, cannot get your ship out?" the creature spoke as it to a small child. He picked up a power lamp and examined it with delight.

"Hey, you could have broken this." Luke tried to control theit unwelcome visitor wghile Bob looked on trying not to laugh. "Don't do that. Ohhh...you're making a mess. Hey, give me that!"

The creature clutched it to his chest. "Mine! Or I will help you not." He backed away, directly into Artoo. Artoo stretched out one if his mechanical claws and gripped the lamp.

"I don't want your help. I want my lamp back."

"We'll need it to get out of this slimy mudhole." Bob added, amusement vanishing. This creature had better not think of taking off with their lamp without at least explaining who he was and why he was here.

"Mudhole? Slimy? My home this is." The creature protested.

"Happy for you." Bob said.

Artoo clutched the lamp and tried to take it, beeping angrily.

"Ah, ah, ah!" the creature held on.

"Oh, Artoo, let him have it." Luke waved a hand.

"Mine! Mine!" neither wanted to give up the fight. It was actually funny to see a small troll fighting with a droid his own size for a lamp. It was also interesting that such and old loking creature had such strength.

"Artoo!" Luke scolded.

"Mine!" the creature let go with one hand and poked Artoo with a finger in one of his sensitive spots. Artoo squealed and let go.

The creature lets go with one hand and pokes Artoo lightly with one finger. Artoo reacts with a startled squeal, and lets go.

"Mine!" the creature repeated.

"Now will you move along, little fella? We've got a lot of work to do." Luke was getting annoyed.

"Luke…" Bob wondered how he could convince Luke not to send away the only life form besides snakes and salamanders they'd seen since their arrival.

"No! No, no! Stay and help you, I will." The creature said, to Bob's relief. "Find your friend, hmm?" he laughed.

"We're not looking for a friend; we're looking for a Jedi Master." Luke corrected.

"Oohhh. Jedi Master. Yoda. You seek Yoda."

Luke and Bob perked up. "You know him?" they both asked at the same time.

"Mmm. Take you to him, I will." He laughed and bounded away, still clutching his lamp. "Yes, yes. But now, we must eat. Come. Good food. Come."

"Should we?" Luke asked.

"Do we have anything to lose?" Bob replied. "It's not like we can get the ship out." he nodded his head at the mudhole.

With that settled, they took off after the creature, trying hard to keep up as he led them deeper through the swamp.

**_I know: short. Sorry peoples, but don't worry, there's a lot of drama ahead!_**


	10. Chapter 10 Resolutions

Chapter 10 Resolutions

Bob was amazed such a little thing – and an old-looking little thing at that – could move so quickly. He was in pretty good shape, but he was panting after only a few minutes of chasing the whatever it was. Jump, duck, run, then jump and duck at the same time and run some more. Bob was concentrating too hard on not tripping to even think of accessing the Force. Beside him, Luke panted just as heavily. As if things weren't bad enough, the fog began to give way to a downpour.

A strange baroque mud house sitting on a moss-covered knoll on the edge of a small lagoon loomed up before them. The creature slowed and ducked inside. Bob and Luke exchanged glances and 'what-have-we-got-to-lose?' shrugs and followed.

It was a very plain, but cozy dwelling with everything in the same small scale as the creature. Bob and Luke had to duck to keep from banging their heads on the four-foot ceiling. Muttering to himself, the creature began to cook in a frenzy, chopping this, shredding that, and showering everything with exotic herbs and spices. He rushed back and forth putting platters on the table in front of Luke and Bob.

"Look, I'm sure it's delicious. I just don't understand why we can't see Yoda now." Luke said impatiently.

"Patience! For the Jedi it is time to eat as well. Eat, eat. Hot. Good food, hm? Good, hmm?"

Bob and Luke once more exchanged glances, this time impatient ones. But neither of them felt brave enough to contradict the little creature. Bob was sensing something powerful radiating from it. But he was too hungry to contemplate it very long. He helped himself to some kind of stewed meat from a pot – probably salamander, he reflected – and tasted it. It was amazingly good, salamander or not.

"How far away is Yoda? Will it take us long to get there?" Luke didn't try the food.

"Not far. Yoda not far. Patience. Soon you will be with him."

Bob wondered what Lark would say if she were here. She would probably tell Luke to shut up and eat and then tell Bob not to chew with his mouth open. He wondered what she would say to the creature. She'd probably ask him just who Yoda was.

The creature tasted something from another pot. "Rootleaf, I cook. Why wish you become Jedi? Hm?"

"Mostly because of my father, I guess." Luke answered.

"Ah, your father. Powerful Jedi was he, powerful Jedi, mmm."

Bob was beginning to feel a bit invisible. He put more food in his mouth. At least he could eat without having to answer any questions.

"Oh, come on. How could you know my father? You don't even know who I am." Luke stood and banged his head on the ceiling. "Ow! I don't even know what I'm doing here. We're wasting our time."

The creature turned away from look and seemed to be looking at someone who wasn't there. "I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience."

Bob and Luke both glanced at the corner where the creature was looking and then back at it. It hit them at the same moment that_ this_ was Yoda.

"He will learn patience." The voice came from out of nowhere. Bob jumped up and ducked just in time to avoid hitting his won head.

"Obi-Wan!"

"Hmmm. Much anger in him, like his father." Yoda said.

"Was I any different when you taught me?" Obi-Wan was still no where to be seen.

"Hah. He is not ready." Yoda insisted.

It finally Registered to Luke that they were talking about him. "Yoda! I am ready. I...Ben! I can be a Jedi. Ben, tell him I'm ready." Luke swiveled his head around looking for Obi-Wan.

"Ready, are you?" Yoda tapped Luke with his stick. "What know you of ready? For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained! A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one a long time have I watched. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph. Adventure. Heh! Excitement. Heh! A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless!"

Luke looked down. He knew it was true.

"So was I, if you'll remember." Obi-Wan said gently.

"He is too old. Yes, too old to begin the training."

Luke looked up at the subtle softening in Yoda's voice.

"But I've learned so much." His voice took on a pleading tone. Bob watched and wondered about himself. Had he only come here to watch Luke get the training that he wanted – no that he needed? The same training that Bob himself needed as well?

Yoda turned his piercing gaze on Luke, as though his huge eyes could somehow determine how much Luke had learned. After a long moment, the Jedi turned toward where he alone saw Obi-Wan. He sighed.

"Will he finish what he begins?"

"I won't fail you - I'm not afraid." Luke said desperately.

"Oh, you will be. You will be. And you." Suddenly Bob found himself looking into the depths of the Jedi Master's eyes. He felt himself being drowned, swallowed up whole. In the eyes he saw pain and suffering of a hundred lifetimes and power, power to stop it, but also power to create it. A power so great that bob shivered. What if he failed? It wasn't just a gift; it was also a burden that the Jedi must carry. Could he live up to it?

Yoda nodded. "You will be." He repeated.

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Bob watched Luke run through the thick vines and branches with Yoda strapped to his back. He was on his eighteenth lap by now, which meant only two more laps and then it would be Bob's turn. Bob groaned and turned back to his meditation. Somehow Yoda managed to know the instant either one of them broke their concentration. He tried to imagine using the Force as naturally as Yoda did, but it was hard. He remembered when he was sparring with Jesse that day. Then he had felt the Force flowing through him as easily as his own blood. He had practically been breathing it instead of oxygen it had been so real. But the feeling was fleeting. Closing his eyes, Bob refocused and sank deeper into his semi consciousness, the place where the Force lurked ever elusive as he tried to calm his breathing and mind at the same time.

It was a place he didn't really like to go. In it hid his innermost thoughts, his annoyance at being treated like a second fiddle, his insecurity of never knowing who his really family was, and his fear of the unknown. He kept them locked up tight, and they usually never bothered him. But today they were managing to slip out into the stream of his other thoughts.

He looked up when Luke stopped beside him, letting Yoda down. Breathing heavily, he took his shirt from a nearby tree branch and pulled it on. As he turned, he glanced at the huge, dead, black tree nearby that had been bothering Bob for the past half hour or so. Luke stared at the tree, trembling.

"There's something not right here." He finally said. "I feel cold, death."

"That place...is strong with the dark side of the Force." Yoda said. "A domain of evil it is. In you must go."

Bob looked up, but this time he was grateful Yoda was addressing Luke instead of him. Just sitting next to the tree gave Bob the willies.

"What's in there?" Luke asked.

"Only what you take with you."

Now Bob was really glad he didn't have to go in there, but he tried not to show it – or think it. Yoda sometimes seemed to be able to read minds.

Luke nodded and strapped on his weapon belt.

"Your weapons...you will not need them."

Luke gave the tree a long look and then shook his head. Yoda shrugged, and Luke slowly walked toward the tree, pushed some hanging vines aside and entered.

Bob watched him go silently. Yoda closed his eyes, and Bob wondered if he could see what was happening. He looked away and studied his lightsaber, as he always did when he felt small.

"The weapon of the Jedi Knight, a lightsaber is." Yoda said from beside him. "A Jedi's life, his weapon is."

Bob looked up and asked a question he'd been thinking for a while now. "With all do respect Master Yoda, why don't Jedi just use blasters?"

"A symbol, the lightsaber is."

"A symbol? What kind of Symbol?"

Yoda sighed as Bob yet again badgered the 900-year old Jedi Master with questions about lightsabers and the seven different forms of lightsaber combat, something he'd been doing all night last night. To Bob, knowledge was power. It was all very good to know how to use something, but if you knew its origin and makeup, you could come up with other uses pf your own. Yoda appreciated that, even if it did get a bit tiring answering Bob's questions.

"Of the small, faint line between life and death, a symbol the lightsaber is. Great training in the Force, required it is for a Jedi to use a lightsaber."

"Can anything stop a lightsaber blade?"

"Stopped only by water, cortosis, or the blade of another lightsaber, can it be. But, remember you must, only draw his weapon as a last resort, a Jedi Knight should. Jedi use their powers for knowledge and defense, never for attack and personal gain."

Bob looked over at where Luke had disappeared. "Master Yoda, can the Emperor be defeated?"

"Fought Palpatine once, I did; and lost."

"You fought the Emperor? When? Where..."

Bob stopped talking as everything started to spin. Then, in amazement, he wasn't on Dagohbah any more, but on Coruscant, the capital of the Empire. However, everything looked different; younger. He was in what appeared to be the Senate building, in an office that was the style of the Emperor. He watched as Yoda knocked out a couple of red guards, soon followed by Master Yoda getting hit with some errie looking blue lightning, then Yoda getting up, pushing Palpatine with the Force, the two drawing blades, and then fighting as the dias raised up into the Senate chamber itself. Then, in the middle, he watched as the two figures fought. Green clashed against red. Bob realized with surprise that the wielder of the green lightsaber was a vibrant Yoda himself, which meant that his opponent was the Emperor.

He watched as Palpatine used the Force to throw platform after platform at Yoda, who dodged all of them and actually threw the last one back at Palpatine. The Emperor dodge just in time and fell, only to be met by Yoda. Blue lightning shot out at Yoda, who in turn shot it right back.

Yoda fell and retreated, realizing he had lost...

Bob looked around to see the vision was over, and Yoda was looking at him, his head lowered.

"A rare power of the Force, it is, to be able to see visions of the past. Means strong, very strong in the Force, you are."

"Master Yoda, Palpatine, how did he use the Force..."

"A Dark Lord of the Sith, Palpatine is. Darth Sidious and Palpatine, the same person, they are. Now, no more talk of this for now, shall there be. Concentrate on your saber skills, you should. Noticed I have, that favor Vappad, you do."

"Vappad?" Bob remembered Kimmy using that word. She hadn't really explained it though, not the way he wanted. Just given him more questions.

"The seventh form of lightsaber combat, it is. Created by an old friend and fellow member of the Jedi Council, it was."

"Who?"

"Jedi Master Mace Windu."

"Master Yoda, I want to learn Vappad." Bob said, suddenly determined.

"Teach you much, I can. And when gone am I, look to Jedi Jesse Ryenae you should. Mace Windu's apprentice was he. Knows Vappad well he does." Yoda nodded, deep in thought.

Bob nodded and got back to work on meditating, now more determined than ever. This time, the darkness stayed in its locked box where it belonged.

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"That was close." Leia said, smiling thinly in relief. Behind the, the giant space worm they'd been inside disappeared back into its hole.

"We aren't out of this yet, sweetheart." Han said.

The Falcon shuddered as it sped along, making Lark wonder how much longer it would last.

"Oh, thank goodness we're coming out of the asteroid field." Threepio said.

"Thank goodness." Lark muttered, jerking the ship to the left as the star destroyer sent a blast at them. Threepio wailed as they were hit hard by another bolt. They tilted steeply and then the ship righted itself.

"Let's get out of here. Ready for light-speed? One...two...three!" Han pulsed back on the hyperspace throttle, and they tensed expectantly. Nothing happened. Flak bursts continued to rock the ship.

"It's not fair!" Han frantically began hitting switches.

"If life was fair…" Lark stopped. "Never mind."

"The transfer circuits are working. It's not my fault!" Han snapped at a howling Chewie.

"No light-speed?" Leia said dryly.

"It's not my fault." Han repeated.

"Sir, we just lost the main rear deflector shield. One more direct hit on the back quarter and we're done for." Threepio announced.

Lark looked to Han, who without hesitation pulled back on a lever. "Turn her around."

Lark paused.

"I said turn her around! I'm going to put all power in the front shield."

"You're going to attack them?!" Leia shrieked.

Lark started to spin the ship._ I sure hope this isn't the last order I obey._

"Sir, the odds of surviving a direct assault on an Imperial Star Destroyer..."

"Shut up!" Leia, Lark, and Han snapped at the same time.

Lark cringed at straightened the Falcon as it raced head on toward the star destroyer. Better than to be blasted from the back. Better to go down fighting.

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" Kimmy, where are you going?"

Kimmy looked up defiantly at Major Derlin approached her X-wing. "I'm going to find my husband."

"You can't do that."

"Why not?" she put her hands on her hips.

"In the first place we can't spare the ship, and in the second place we can't spare you. Sorry."

"You spared him." She pointed out.

"Kimmy, we have two resident Jedi and one resident trainee, or whatever you call it."

"Apprentice."

"Right. Two are gone. Do you think we're going to let the other one just fly out of here? Aren't you supposed to protect and defend?"

He had a point. Kimmy sighed and rubbed her eyes. She couldn't just leave. "You're right."

He looked at her sympathetically. "He'll be fine. In the meantime, why don't you get some sleep? There's a meeting at o-one hundred we need you to be at."

Kimmy nodded and smiled as he walked away. She didn't tell him that she hadn't been able to sleep since their fight, even with the Force. It seemed to have forsaken her just like everything and everyone else.

She couldn't let Jesse forsake her. She would give him two more days. Then she would go after him no matter what.

**_Is that better? It's longer. See I can be nice. _**


	11. Chapter 11 The Past and the Future

Chapter 11 The Past and the Future

Bob struggled to maintain his position, which was not an easy one to hold: standing on his hands. To make it worse, he had to lift rocks one by one. Yoda watched, shifting his attention from Luke, who was also doing the same exercise, to him and back to Luke.

"Use the Force. Yes..."

Yoda tapped Luke's leg, and Luke lifted a hand so he was standing on only one. Bob carefully did the same, using the utmost balance and concentration. He could do this. Just don't think about the trembling muscles. Carefully he mentally groped another rock.

"Now the stones. Feel it." Yoda coached.

Slowly the medium sized grey stone lifted into the air. Bob's concentration was suddenly shattered by Luke crashing o the ground. Bob fell as well, hitting the earth with a dull thud. He looked in the direction of Luke's gaze and groaned. Their fighter had sunk even further down into the muck.

"Oh, no. We'll never get it out now." Luke moaned.

Yoda stamped his foot in irritation. "So certain are you. Always with you it cannot be done. Hear you nothing that I say? Bob?"

Bob frowned. Why did he always have to be noticed when he didn't want to. He'd love to say 'yes, I believe I can lift the ship out', but he didn't think he could. He shifted restlessly and tried to think of a diplomatic answer.

"Moving stones around is one thing. This is totally different." He hedged.

"No! No different! Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned."

Bob and Luke were silent for a minute. Finally Luke stirred.

"All right, I'll give it a try."

"No! Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try."

Luke closed his eyes and concentrates on thinking the ship out. Slowly, the nose began to rise above the water. It hovered for a moment, and Bob held his breath, willing Luke to do it. Suddenly it slid back, disappearing once again.

"I can't." Luke panted. "It's too big."

"Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hm? Mmmm."

Luke and Bob shook their heads slowly. Bob hoped Yoda wouldn't ask him to try.

"And well you should not. For my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. It's energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we…" he pinched Luke, "…not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you. Here, between you...me...the tree...the rock...everywhere! Yes, even between this land and that ship!"

"You want the impossible." Luke murmured.

Quietly Yoda turned toward the fighter. With his eyes closed and his head bowed, he raised his arm and pointed at the ship. Soon, the fighter slowly rose above the water and moved forward, gaining speed as Artoo beeped in terror and scooted away. Bob's eyes widened, and for a minute, he caught a glimpse of a whole other world, one that he had the key to open, but not the knowledge to use the key.

_But I will._ He determined as he breathlessly watched, almost able to see the flowing movement of the Force as the entire fighter moved majestically, surely, toward the shore.

"I don't...I don't believe it." Luke ran his hands over the ship to make sure it was real.

"That is why you fail. Now back to work."

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"Captain Solo, this time you have gone too far." Threepio said firmly. They were currently sitting on top of the Imperial starship. "No, I will not be quiet, Chewbacca. Why doesn't anyone listen to me?"

Han simply ignored the droid. "The fleet is beginning to break up. Go back and stand by the manual release for the landing claw."

Chewie gave an answering bark and climbed out of the cabin. Lark watched him go silently. She didn't know what to think. This time Han's reasoning was beyond her.

"I really don't see how that's going to help. Surrender is a perfectly acceptable alternative in extreme circumstances. The Empire may be gracious enough..."

Leia reached over and shut Threepio off, mid-sentence.

"Thank you." Han said.

"What did you have in mind for your next move?" Leia asked in reply. Lark looked at him eagerly. She was well past the worn-down-ready-to-curl-up-in-a-corner-and-cry stage and well into the adrenaline pumped, what's-coming-next-because-I'm-ready stage.

"Well, if they follow standard Imperial procedure, they'll dump their garbage before they go to light-speed, then we just float away." Han said.

"With the rest of the garbage. Then what?"

"Then we've got to find a safe port somewhere around here. Got any ideas?"

"No. Where are we?"

"The Anoat system."

Lark wished she'd spent more time paying attention to star studies. Han was glancing at her, expecting an answer just as much as from Leia. She shrugged.

"Anoat system. There's not much there." Leia mused.

"No. Well, wait." Han's wheels were turning once more. "This is interesting. Lando."

He pointed to a computer mapscreen on the control panel. Leia and Lark slipped out of their chairs and moved next to the pilot. Small light points representing several systems flashed by on the computer screen.

"Lando system?" Leia remarked dryly.

"Lando's not a system, he's a man. Lando Calrissian. He's a cardplayer, gambler, scoundrel. You'd like him."

"Thanks."

Lark felt her fingertips begin to prick, as if her brain was trying to tell her something. She focused for a brief moment, but nothing happened. It was just the name… did she somehow know him?

"Bespin. It's pretty far, but I think we can make it." Han muttered.

"A mining colony?" Leia read from the computer.

"Yeah, a Tibanna gas mine. Lando conned somebody out of it. We go back a long way, Lando and me."

"Can you trust him?" Leia asked.

"No. But he has no love for the Empire, I can tell you that."

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Lark quoted.

"Exactly." Han nodded affirmatively. It was settled in his mind. If the females wanted to argue they could feel free, and it wouldn't make any difference, but it was nice to have at least one on his side.

Chewie barked over the intercom and Han quickly changed his readouts and stretched to look out the cockpit window. "Here we go, Chewie." He spoke into the intercom. "Stand by. Detach!"

Han leaned back in his chair and gave Leia an irresistible smile. She thought for a moment, shook her head, a grin creeping across her face. Stooping, she gave him a quick kiss.

"You do have your moments. Not many, but you have them."

Lark laughed at the look on Han's face.

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"Han! Leia! Lark!"

Bob opened his eyes. He'd been trying for the millionth time to focus in on the feeling of restlessness he'd been experiencing, and Luke's outburst had broken his fragile concentration. He looked at his friend in annoyance.

Yoda seemed to be irritated too. "Hmm. Control, control. You must learn control."

"I saw...I saw a city in the clouds." Luke's eyes were distant and searching, but Yoda seemed unaffected.

"Mmm. Friends you have there."

Bob stood up.

"They were in pain."

"It is the future you see. Just as the past Bob has seen."

"Future? Will they die?" Luke sounded frantic. Bob clenched his throat as Yoda closed his eyes and lowered his head.

"Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future."

"I've got to go to them."

Yoda snapped back to attention. "Decide you must how to serve them best. If you leave now, help them you could. But you would destroy all for which they have fought and suffered."

Luke was stopped cold by Yoda's words. Gloom shrouded him as he nodded sadly. Bob stepped closer.

"But we can't just leave them." He said.

"A difficult choice." Yoda said, but he didn't offer any more advice. Bob sank back to the ground, glancing at Luke. Somehow he inwardly sensed Luke's power and authority. He would follow him. If Luke stayed, so would he. If he left…

Luke paced back and forth, and then stalked off. "I need to think." He muttered.

Luke didn't come back until dusk. Yoda had spent the day in meditation, and Bob had spent it trying to meditate. He stood when Luke approached, but Yoda remained sitting with his eyes closed.

"Decided you have." He said.

Luke nodded and went over to the fighter where he began to load his things. Bob stood to help.

"Luke! You must complete the training." For an instant the Jedi's façade slipped.

"I can't keep the vision out of my head. They're my friends. I've got to help them."

"You must not go!"

"But they'll die if I don't." Suddenly Luke spun and stared into thin air.

"What?" Bob asked.

Luke didn't seem to hear him. "But I can help them! I feel the Force!"

There was silence. Bob shifted restlessly. He felt a stirring in the atmosphere, and he could sense enough to know that something was going on, but not enough to know what it was.

"Yes, yes. To Obi-Wan you listen. The cave. Remember your failure at the cave!" Yoda suddenly said.

"Obi-Wan?" Bob remembered the incident in the cave. Was the same thing happening here? But why couldn't he hear what was going on?

"But I've learned so much since then. Master Yoda, I promise to return and finish what I've begun. You have my word." There was another pause. "And that is why I have to go."

Bob was tempted to ask what Obi-Wan or whoever it was was saying, but he felt like he shouldn't interrupt. He did feel a bit irked at being left out though.

"You won't." Luke said.

_Won't what?_

"Stopped they must be." Yoda said. "On this all depends. Only a fully trained Jedi Knight with the Force as his ally will conquer Vader and his Emperor. If you end your training now, if you choose the quick and easy path, as Vader did, you will become an agent of evil."

"And sacrifice Han, Leia, and Lark?"

"If you honor what they fight for...yes!" Yoda said.

Luke was silent for a long time, his struggle obvious on his face. Yoda turned to Bob and seemed to be about to speak but changed hi mind.

"A dark cloud." He murmured. Bob wondered if that was bad. He decided it wasn't good. BEN

"I understand." Luke suddenly said. He went to the fighter, and Bob moved to follow.

"Have to go, you do not." Yoda said to Bob.

He turned, somehow knowing that even though Luke promised to come back, and probably would, he himself would never set foot on this swampy planet again.

"Yes, I do." He said. As he climbed into his seat and Luke started the engine, Bob suddenly felt a swirling once more, only this time he knew what it was. It was the same as when he'd had his vision of the past last time. He closed his eyes and waited for the images to emerge from the fog. The voice came before the form.

"In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you're under arrest Chancellor." A tall, dark-skinned Jedi said as a bar of purple plasma sprang to life in his hand. On his left, another Jedi sprouted a similar bar of green energy, and on his right, two more Jedi sprang identical blades, one green and the other the color of the summer sky.

"Are you threatning me?" A man that could only be Palpatine of Naboo asked.

"The Senate will decide your fate." The same Jedi responded.

"I _am_ the Senate." Chancellor Palpatine said with a snarl.

"Not yet." Was the reply. Chancellor Palpatine stood up and a small, metal cylinder slid out of his sleeve and into his right hand.

"It's treason, then." Palpatine said in a voice that was far too calm. A blade the color of blood screamed to life and with a hair-raising snarl, he jumped forward, propelled by the Force, and landed in front of the group of Jedi, a snarl on his face.

His first thrust cleaved cleanly into the chest of the Zabrak with the blue lightsaber, and his return to guard cut through the upper torso of the green lightsaber-weilding Jedi next to him. The other two Jedi moved as one, their blades clashing and locking with the Sith Lord's blade.

Not even a full minute later, the red blade cut down the other Jedi, leaving Palpatine alone with the dark-skinned Jedi.

For over 20 minutes, the two fought, purple and red smelling of burnt ozone. And then, the two pulled their blades back and behind, causing the huge window next to them to completly shatter. As wind blew through the room, the two continued their battle. And then...

The Jedi kicked the Sith in the face, causing the Dark Lord to drop his blade out the window.

"You are under arrest, _my Lord."_

"Anakin, I told you it would come to this. I was right; the Jedi are taking over."

"The oppresion of the Sith will never return; you have lost."

"No, no, no...you will die...!"

Force Lightning tore out at the Jedi, who was barely able to get his saber up to block it. Bob listend as the fight went on, and finally, it stopped, the deflected energy destroying Palpatine's face.

"I'm too weak...please..."

And then, in the end, the Jedi moved to kill the Sith Lord, but a blue blade appeared and cut off the Jedi's arm. While he scremed in agony, more Force Lightning came out and this time it hit the Jedi head on, throwing him out of the window.

"What have I done?" Anakin Skywalker asked.

"You are fullfilling your destiny..."

"I pledge myself to your teachings, I will do...anything...you ask, just help me save Padme's life; I can't live without her."

And then Bob heard the words he never loved.

"Lord Vader... ... ...rise."

Bob opened his eyes and saw the planet of Dagobah fading into the distance. He would ask Jesse and Kimmy about what he had seen the next time he saw them, if he ever did, which he was getting a feeling he might never get that chance.


	12. Chapter 12 Rescuers

Chapter 12 Rescuers

Kimmy screamed as her meditation took her right into Jesse's mind. She felt the burning stab of a light saber and then nothing. She lay on the floor, unmoving. her breaths came in agonized gasps.

"Jesse..." she murmured as suddenly they stopped altogether, and she moved no more.

_**Got ya! No, that was not the real chapter. That was a little joke I've been waiting to do for a long time. Now how many of you screamed? Ok, here's the real chapter 12:**_

The soft pink planet of Bespin glowed below them as they flew in and out of the billowing clouds, glowing faintly in the sunlight. Suddenly two twin-pod cloud cars appeared moving toward them. They drew alongside the Falcon and sent out a few bursts of fire.

"Han…" Leia began.

"I know, I know." Han interrupted, reaching for the transmitter. "No, I don't have a landing permit. I'm trying to reach Lando Calrissian." He yelled.

More flak burst outside the cockpit window and rattled the ship's interior. Leia and lark exchanged worried looks.

_So Han and this guy are friends._ Lark thought. _Well considering the kind of company Han keeps, plus the fact that he himself admitted he doesn't trust this guy…_ Lark felt for her lightsaber. Better safe than sorry.

Han was still trying to reason his way past the sentries. "Whoa! Wait a minute! Let me explain."

"You will not deviate from your present course." the voice came over the intercom.

"Rather touchy, aren't they?" Threepio murmured.

"I thought you knew this person." Leia said flatly. She looked worn out. Lark couldn't help but agree. When was enough enough anyway?

"Well, that was a long time ago." Han said, waving a growling Chewie aside. "I'm sure he's forgotten about that."

"What?" Lark narrowed her eyes, but Han ignored her.

"Permission granted to land on Platform Three-two-seven." The voice finally said.

"Thank you." Han gave the skeptical group a 'see?' look, though Lark could feel doubt rolling off of him in waves. But Han was the type of guy that would do exactly what he thought he could get away with no matter how doubtful it seemed, and amazingly he seemed to be able to pull it off. And they really didn't have any other options.

"There's nothing to worry about." He assured them. "We go way back, Lando and me."

"As friends or enemies?" Lark murmured. Han shot her a look.

"Who's worried?" Leia asked.

_All of us._

Han piloted the Falcon trough the clouds to the giant city floating among them, geaming a nearly blinding white. Lark caught her breath at the beauty of it. With the cloud cars still guarding it, the Falcon landed on one of the Cloud City's platforms.

"Here goes nothing." Han muttered as he hit the switch to open the door. The slowly rose as a group and paused just inside the doorway.

"Oh. No one to meet us." Threepio sounded hurt.

"I don't like this." Leia said.

"Well, what would you like?" Han snapped, tired of everyone echoing his own fears.

"Well, they did let us land." Threepio said.

"Look, don't worry. Everything's going to be fine. Trust me." Han sounded like he was trying to convince himself as well.

Lark didn't say anything. She was too busy scoping out the area through the Force, and she didn't like what she sensed. There was an evil here, nit just a little bitty one either. It was massive and nearly suffocating, almost equal to, if not greater than the one pursuing them. She weighed her options silently in her mind. If she told them to take off now, Han might believe her, but chances were he wouldn't, and it might be jumping from the frying pan into the fire. On the other hand, they might be escaping the lion only to take refuge in his den. She decided she'd wait and see who this Lando person was and hope that if she didn't like him it wouldn't be too late to backpedal. Because if she didn't like his aura there was no way she was staying here.

A suave, dashing black man in his thirties, entered the pad, leading a group of aides and some Cloud City guards rapidly toward the landing platform. Everyone straightened slightly, and Lark noted the grim expression on his face.

"See? My friend." Han said. he lowered his voice to speak to Chewie, but lark caught the words with the Force, "Keep your eyes open, okay?"

Han walked down the ramp and met Lando in the middle of the pad. They eyes each other carefully, and Lark contemplated him. Underneath his grim expression, she felt a bit of humor, actually a lot of humor, enough to tell her that he was only pretending. That made her relax a little, but only for the moment. There was something else about him, something dark. That made her almost tell Han that they should leave, but beneath that there was another something. Man, this guy had a lot of layers. Beneath it she felt an intense sense of loss and desperation. But that wasn't what made her hesitate. It was the sense of familiarity, as if she'd met him before. Had she? She doubted it – otherwise she would've been able to match it up in her mind. The fact that she couldn't meant that she'd met someone related to him. Who could it be? A rebel pilot maybe? Lando opened his mouth to speak, bringing Lark back to the events taking place.

"Why, you slimy, double-crossing, no-good swindler! You've got a lot of guts coming here, after what you pulled." He said.

Han pointed to himself innocently, mouthing, "Me?" his fake look of self assurance vanished like a wispy cloud as Lando moved threateningly toward him. Suddenly, he threw his arms around his startled, long-lost friend and embraced him laughing.

"How you doing, you old pirate? So good to see you! I never thought I'd catch up with you again. Where you been?"

Han's expression immediately changed to relief.

"Well, he seems very friendly." Threepio said.

"Yes...very friendly." Leia said warily. "Lark?" she asked.

"Hmm?"

"Well?"

Well, indeed. Should she blow the whistle? Looking at Han, it'd probably be pointless, and she wanted – no needed – to learn more about this man. She would just have to be very careful _Very_ careful

"He seems alright."

"What are you doing here?" Lando asked Han.

"Ahh...repairs. I thought you could help me out." Han gestured at the Falcon.

"What have you done to my ship?" Lando pretended to panic.

"Your ship?" Han raised his eyebrows. "Hey, remember, you lost her to me fair and square."

Lando grinned and suddenly noticed the rest of the group. "Hello. What have we here? Welcome. I'm Lando Calrissian. I'm the administrator of this facility. And who might you be?" he addressed Leia mainly. Lark suppressed a grin. There was something about Leia that just commanded attention, even for those who didn't know she was a princess.

"Leia."

"Welcome, Leia." He bowed and kissed her hand. Han's jealousy made him intercept.

"All right, all right, you old smoothie." He took Leia by the hand and steered her away from Lando.

"Hello, sir. I am See-Threepio, human-cyborg relations. My facilities are at your..." But before Threepio could finish his self-introduction, Lando turned to follow Han and Leia, who were walking toward the city.

"Well, really!" Threepio muttered.

Chewie glanced at Lark, but she motioned for him to go on ahead. She'd purposefully hung back, counting on Leia's outshining aura and a touch of the Force to keep her unnoticed. She followed after the group, sending sensors out like crazy and making sure Lando didn't' see her. The aides paid her no attention, and she slowly dropped back several yards, using the Force to overhear the conversation.

"What's wrong with the Falcon?" Lando was asking.

"Hyperdrive." Han said.

"I'll get my people to work on it." Lando promised.

"Good."

"You know, that ship saved my life quite a few times." Lando said, turning back to leia and turning up the charm. "She's the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy."

"So I've been told." Leia glanced wryly at Han.

The group crossed the narrow bridge and entered the city. They walked down the lovely Art Deco passageway, rounding several corners and passing many small plazas as they go. Threepio lagged a bit behind, nearly catching up with Lark, who inwardly groaned.

"How's the gas mine? Is it paying off for you?" Han asked.

"Oh, not as well as I'd like. We're a small outpost and not very self-sufficient. And I've had supply problems of every kind. I've had labor difficulties..." he turned to look Han full in the face. "What's so funny?"

"You. Listen to you - you sound like a businessman, a responsible leader. Who'd have thought that, huh?"

Lando reflected for a minute. "You know, seeing you sure brings back a few things." He said quietly. Lark stiffened at the tone, but something else had caught her attention, two things actually. One was the fact that Threepio had caught sight of a silver droid nearly his exact image coming out of a door and had decided to follow, and the other was a faint whiff of the darkness coming out of a corridor, the one that the droid had gone down actually. She quickly followed.

_Where did they go?_ She wondered, hesitating. The company had passed even out of Force enhanced hearing range, and she didn't know whether to continue following them or to investigate.

It was at times like this when she wished her dad or mom was here. She was way too indecisive for this kind of thing. How many times had Jesse told her to decide on something and do it without continually looking the other way?

A laser bolt echoed in the hallway, making up lark's mind for her. She trotted down the corridor and found Threepio lying on the ground, a pile of scrap metal. And the feeling of darkness was stronger, but with it mingled something distinctly familiar. Ignoring Threepio for the moment, she followed the trail.

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Kimmy's mind refused to focus. Every time she tried to sink farther into meditation, Jesse's face swam before her mind's eye. His deep blue eyes and blonde hair swept back from a high forehead, the scar on the side of his face. He never told her what it was from; he'd gotten it after he'd left the Jedi. Kimmy sighed. So many memories were wrapped up in those years, both good and bad. And even the bad ones hadn't been so bad after Jesse's return. She knew she could always count on him. At least she thought she did. Now…

_You were the one who chased him off, Kimmy._ She reminded herself. She honestly didn't know what had come over her, besides exhaustion from sleepness nights planning battles, weariness of this never-ending war, and worry over their only child facing the emperor with only a pirate, a princess, a droid, and a ship that was falling to pieces to help her. Ok maybe she did know what had come over her. And Jesse was probably feeling the same way. They really were too much alike. It had been the main source of all their problems.

_Two people exactly the same with two different points of view. What were we thinking? _She wondered. Now another thought pushed that one aside:_ Jesse, where are you? Are you alright? Are you even alive? I know you would check in, even if you are still mad at me. Duty always comes before personal feelings with you. It always has. Please be alright. I need you. I can't face this alone. _

As each thought surfaced it evaporated into the air like a bubble popping on the surface of a pond. Her mind gently sank deeper toward the bottom while her worries floated away. She finally found the calm center that she knew had been there all along. And now she felt it: Fear. Pain. Resolution.

"Jesse." Her lips formed the name. There was no doubt about it. He was alive. But he was far from safe.

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"I don't like this." Bob said. The feeling of walking into a krayt dragon's lair had continued to grow as they approached their destination. Now he felt smothered in dark danger.

"Me either." Luke said.

"Why are we doing this again?" Bob asked after a moment of silence. He knew the answer and he would never turn the ship around as much as his senses were telling him to, but it eased the tension a little to talk.

Apparently Luke didn't think so. His mouth remained in a firm line.

"We'll get there in time." Bob said, wishing he were more certain. He wondered if it would help if he got out and pushed, the fighter seemed to be moving so slowly.

Once again, Luke didn't answer. Suddenly he blurted out, "What do you think he meant?"

"Who?" Bob thought he knew.

"Ben."

Bob frowned. He didn't want to admit that he hadn't been able to hear the conversation. Everyone knew Luke was more powerful than he was, but, BUT. He grimaced. "Your guess is as good as mine." Much better actually. Thankfully Luke was too distracted to pick up on the hedging.

"I wonder what the cave meant." Luke mumbled.

He hadn't told Bob about what had happened in the cave, and from the look on his face, he wasn't about to. Bob sighed. Would he always feel two steps behind?

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Kimmy brushed past pilots without so much as a good morning. She slammed her palm down onto a security box, instantly giving her access to the hangar. She chose an X-wing and then reconsidered. And X-wing fit one person and one droid. What if Jesse was hurt? Kimmy by passed the X-wings and went to an already prepped Y-wing. She flipped switches, bringing it to life and taxied out of the hangar, making sure her radio was off. She didn't want to hear anyone telling her to stay put. If she didn't receive orders, how was she supposed to obey them? She would be gone before they could stop her.

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Lark hated this feeling. It was like she was being torn. Part of her screamed that Leia and Han needed her; she sensed darkness closing in on them, but the other part drove her forward, to the other side of the city, deeper down. With each step, she was being pulled in each direction. She stubbornly stuck with what she was already doing. If she left, she would be pulled by the other side just as strongly, and chances were she would end up running back and forth without getting anything done.

_Like a droid with its head cut off. _She thought to herself. She was reaching the outer section where extra small aircraft were stored.

_What? Imperial ships?_ Lark instantly realized where all the darkness was coming form and why it had felt muffled. Not only were their enemies here, Vader was too. And he was masking his presence. He must've grown cocky and let a little slip. Lark nearly spun and ran back to Han and Leia, but something stopped her. A familiar presence. She caught her breath.

_How…?_

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Bob followed Luke who was following his senses like a hound on the trail. Artoo steadily moved beside them. Suddenly Bob and Luke froze, and a second later they heard a group of people coming down a side hallway. Artoo let out an excited series of beeps and whistles, earning a glare form Luke. The droid shut up.

Bob clenched his teeth as he saw a bounty hunter he knew by sight: Bobba Fett. Two guards followed him ,carrying something long and heavy between them. Luke grabbed his blaster and opened fire with Bob a split second behind him. Bobba Fett covered his guards as they wisked down another hallway. Bob and Luke were forced to duck from a blast from Fett which tore off a huge chunk of wall. It took a second for the dust to clear, but Bob and Luke didn't wait before they dove through. By the time they reached the other side, the company was gone, a thick metal door closing in their path.

"Luke! Luke, don't - it's a trap! It's a trap!" Leia managed to shout before it shut.

Luke and Bob raced down another hallway, leaving Artoo behind.

"Split up." Bob yelled. "You got your comm?"

Luke nodded. "I'll go that way." He ducked down a corridor to the left. Bob chose the next one to the right.

_How to get from here to there… _

It was easier said than done. Passageways only led to more passageways. Bob carefully used the Force to maintain a steady sense of direction and continued going in the same way he guessed the other hallway had been going. They had to meet up eventually.

Hopefully.

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"Dad!" Lark lifted Jesse off the floor of an imperial fighter. A Force suppressor was locked onto his wrist. A moment of concentration, and it fell to the ground. Jesse blinked.

"Kimmy?"

"Dad." Lark breathed a sigh of relief.

"Lark." Jesse struggled to get up. "Thank the Force I found you."

Lark's mouth twitched. "_I _found you."

"Come on. We're getting out of here."

"But…" Han. Leia. Chewie. Threepio. "Dad, we can't leave them…"

"Where are they?"

Lark suddenly felt the Force buckle and sway. One look at Jesse told her he'd felt it too. Something had happened, something dramatic. A sudden surge, or magnetic propulsion…

_The Chosen One meeting his son… _

Jesse and Lark locked eyes. "There's nothing we can do for Luke." Jesse said.

"How did he get here?"

Jesse stood. "Help me." He whispered, still feeling the results of the Force suppressant. Lark bit her lip at seeing him so weak, but she channeled her Force energy into his.

"They're safe." Jesse said. "As safe as anyone can be. We can't help them."

Lark felt another tug, this time not through the Force; at least not the one Jesse could feel. It was through her heart, and it would not be denied.

"No." she said quietly, but there was an underlying firmness that Jesse couldn't ignore. "I may not be able to do anything, but I can't leave. I belong with them. With…" she hesitated, "…with him."

Jesse's face was unreadable. He didn't blink, didn't flinch - just looked down at her. "Kimmy was right." He finally said. "You have grown up. I didn't even realize it."

Lark felt a trickle on her cheek. _Emotional female._ She scolded. "You need to go back, they need you."

Jesse nodded. "I know." He gave her a hug and kissed the top of her head. "Be careful. You're still my little girl."

"I always will be." Lark murmured. She pulled away and ran back the way she'd come, refusing to look over her shoulder as she wiped away stray tears. Her resolution hardened. _Wait_! Her heart cried. _I'm coming!_


	13. Chapter 13 The Dark Side

**_This is totally the best part of the story! Tell me what you think, please; I love this part. _**

Chapter 13 The Dark Side

"Leia!" Lark kicked her run up another notch as she sensed a familiar presence. Where was Han?

"Leia!" she was with Lando, Chewie, and Threepio.

"Lark! Where…"

"No time." Lark cut her off. "Where's Luke?"

"I don't…"

"Down!" Lando pulled them into the hangar and onto the Falcon's ramp as blaster fire exploded around them.

"Wait!" Lark struggled, but when Chewie joined in, she knew she was beat.

"We can't find him. He might have gotten away." Leia's voice held no hope.

_No!_ Lark's mind screamed. She jumped up and pushed Lando away from the controls. "We're _not _leaving without him!"

"Lark…"

Lark ignored the hands pushing her away as she struggled to find Luke's mind with her own. _Say it's not too late…_

A searing pain shot through her, and she dropped to the ground, clinging to her arm. _Luke!_ She screamed. _Where are you?_

The pain made her lose her grip. As she slipped away it lessened, but she held onto it, knowing it was her only connection. She barely registered the hum of the Falcon's engines beneath her or Leia beside her. _Please answer!_ All she got back was waves of pain and disbelief.

_Please! _

Lark struggled to hold on, but the pain in her arm made it unbearable, like holding onto molten metal.

"We've got to go back." Leia's voice cut through everything.

"What?" Lando looked back.

"I know where Luke is." Leia's voice held no uncertainty. Lark slowly sat up, a dull ache remaining in her arm.

"Where?" she was too relieved to realize Leia had effortlessly done what she'd just passed head and arm first into a tunnel of pain to do.

"But what about those fighters?" Lando demanded.

Chewie growled in agreement.

"Chewie, just do it." Leia pleaded and ordered at the same time.

"But what about Vader?" Lando persisted.

Lark struggled to stand. Her knees felt weak. She was quite sure that she could take Vader in defense of Luke at the moment. Chewie growled.

"All right, all right, all right." Lando turned the Flacon. Leia and Lark scanned out the window. Lark was momentarily too tired to try any form of contact. She sensed she needed to save her energy.

Lando glanced out the window. "Look, someone's up there." He pointed to a weather vane hanging from the bottom of the city.

"It's Luke." Leia said. "Chewie, slow down. Slow down and we'll get under him. Lando, open the top hatch."

Lando rushed out of the cockpit. Lark bit her lip as they closed in on Luke. Chewie barked at her.

"What? Oh." She slid into the pilot's chair while Chewie went out back to help Leia.

"We've got him!" Leia called. "Go!"

Lark needed no further prodding. With TIE fighters closing in, it would be a miracle if they got out of there. She gunned the engine, and they raced away.

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Bob felt an evil presence drawing him. He somehow knew what he'd find as he entered an antechamber, but he was taken by surprise all the same.

"I knew there was one more here." Vader, in all his dark glory, stood before Bob, calm and collected, unlighted saber in hand. Bob took a deep calming breath.

_Find the Force._ He didn't have time. Vader sprung form out of no where, and Bob barely had time to get out of the way of the red blade, much less draw his own. He instantly realized that he was way out of his league.

_I'm going to die._ His mind grabbed out for something as Vader pushed his farther back, red blade against his own, and he found something deep down that he'd only ever touched once. He jumped down off the platform they were on, spinning and feeling that something take control again. And it felt good.

Vader paused. "You use the Vapaad." He murmured, continuing to fight. "Impressive for one so young and fresh in their training. Do you know the danger of the Vapaad?"

Kimmy had told him. Had she? Not really, but now Bob knew exactly what she'd been talking about. He felt it in the tips of his fingers, tingling and tempting as it coursed through him. The dark side. And it was within his grasp.

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Lark jerked. She felt another wave of darkness. _Will this never end?_ Only this time she knew what she had to do. It was Bob.

_Bob? _She groped around, but he was too far away. _I need more power!_

Instantly she thought of Luke, but he was too weak. Leia!

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"You feel its power, don't you?" Vader asked. They were still fighting, but not intently. Just enough to keep from relaxing while Bob felt his soul teeter on the edge of the abyss.

_Yes, I feel it. And I want it. But I can't._ Bob felt like he was drowning. He needed this power, but it was using him instead of the other way around._ How do I do this? I'm not strong enough!_

"No." Vader said. "You're not." And he swung.

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"Leia! I need your help!" Lark physically dragged Leia away from Luke's side while Lando worked on him.

"Now?"

"Yes!" Lark hissed. "Just do what I tell you; there's no time to explain! Please!"

Leia glanced wistfully at Luke, but she nodded. Lark breathed out a relieved breath. "Sit." She said. "And open your mind. Think about something far away, relaxing, and peaceful. Don't concentrate; just let your mind drift over things." Lark reached into the Force energy that she knew was there. It recoiled at first, but she used her own Force energy as a magnet to harness it. Then she sent them both out.

_Bob!_

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Bob felt himself sliding, slipping over the edge toward the darkness. Part of him fought, but he was caught in the mud of the slope.

"What have we here? You really need to watch out when you try to bite off more than you can chew." A voice said. Bob jerked so fast that he nearly lost his balance and tumbled into the dark.

"What…?"

"Relax. Now how about we get you out of here?" a Jedi teenager encased in blue light appeared before him, at least he looked like a teenager. But he felt much older.

"Who are you?"

"Introductions later. First I think you need a hand."

"Can you?" Bob asked desperately. He felt Vader tugging on the other end of the invisible rope.

"Afraid not. But I know someone who can." Suddenly a voice called out to him.

_Bob! _

_Lark? _

_Bob, where are you? _

_Uh… not sure. _

_We'll come get you._

_No!_ Bob stole a glance at Vader to see if he was eavesdropping.

"He can't hear you." The Jedi said. "But make it snappy; I don't think he'll wait for very long before getting mad. At the moment you're invisible."

_Lark, I'm not going to be able to get out of here. I can't use the Vapaad, not until I stronger._

"Wise choice." The Jedi remarked.

_I'll help!_ Lark said.

_You're getting weaker; I can feel it. Are you channeling Leia? _

_A little. _

Bob snorted._ I'm gonna have to outsmart him, Lark. _

"Not so wise choice."

"Shut up." Bob turned back to Lark. _I think I can do it, but I'll need your help for a second. Can you do it? _

_What? _

_Just hold onto me. Hopefully he won't notice. _Bob spun and smashed through the invisibility that had shielded him. Like a tiger waiting to spring, Vader was waiting. Bob felt the darkness surge, felt the narrow edge beneath his feet, and prepared himself. He took a deep breath, prayed Lark would be able to hold on, and jumped. Immediately he was encased in darkness.

"Embrace the power." Vader said. Bob shielded his relief. Vader hadn't noticed Lark holding onto him, keeping him from being completely submerged. He felt the darkness fill him, and he writhed in it, but he kept his exterior interior layer from showing any signs. He turned off his lightsaber.

"My master will have orders for you." Vader said. He turned, and Bob followed, cautiously crawling back out of the hole. Lark caught on and began to pull.

_What did you think you were doing?_ She demanded.

_Saving my life. And if might be helpful to be on the inside. _

_Bob… B_ob felt all that she wanted to say but couldn't. _Be careful. Call on me if you need help._

He felt her weakening. She wouldn't be able to stay connected much longer. _I will._ He promised.


	14. Epilogue

**_I really hope I don't alienate my reviewers with the turn of events in this chapter..._**

Epilogue

Lark collapsed against the back of her chair. Leia looked only a little bit better, but that was because she wasn't the one who'd been channeling.

"What just happened?" she asked hesitantly. "Was that Bob?"

Lark nodded, her head spinning. "I think I'm going to be sick." She ran toward the fresher. When she came back, Leia was next to a waking Luke. Lando and Chewie were no where in sight.

"I'll be back." Leia murmured. She leaned down and kissed him before leaving. Lark closed her eyes.

T_hat should be me. Luke! Will I always be invisible? _She could comfort herself with one fact: Luke and Leia were brother and sister. Oh yes, and Leia and Han had had enough chemistry to make her feel better too. She went to the cockpit.

All over the ship muted alarm buzzers sounded. Lando anxiously watched the flashing lights on the control panel and hurriedly adjusted some switches. Seated next to him, Chewie pointed out a new blip appearing on the panel. Leia, was watching over their shoulders. Lark immediately recognized the shape.

"Star Destroyer."

"All right, Chewie. Ready for light-speed." Lando said.

"If your people fixed the hyperdrive." Leia commented dryly.

Another explosion rocked the ship. Leia noticed as a green light on the panel next to her flashes on.

"All the co-ordinates are set. It's now or never."

Chewie barked in agreement.

"Punch it!" Lando commanded.

The Wookiee pulled back on the light-speed throttle. The sound of the ion engine changed, and… nothing happened. Chewie let out a frustrated howl.

"This is awfully familiar." Lark muttered.

"They told me they fixed it. I trusted them to fix it. It's not my fault!" Lando looked like he wanted to strangle someone. Lark would have gladly joined him if she thought it would help.

Chewie got up from his chair and started out of the cockpit, giving Lando and angry shove as he stormed past.

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_Get out of here guys!_ Bob cut off the thought almost before it formed. He needed to be very careful to keep his thoughts neutral. If he let them slip to the light side, Vader would catch him red handed and run him through – or worse. If he let them slide to the dark side… well, he didn't think he'd ever free his soul of the black stain he'd received from willingly jumping into the dark abyss. Better to walk the fence, if he could. Thankfully he had help, someone who didn't have a Force presence and couldn't be detected at all unless he waned to be: Kitch. The ghost of a Jedi apprentice stood beside him as he stood beside Vader now. Bob appreciated the support.

"They'll be in range of our tractor beam in moments, lord." Admiral Piett said.

"Did your men deactivate the hyperdrive on the Millennium Falcon?" Vader asked.

_No thoughts, no thoughts, no thoughts._ Bob carefully kept his mind as blank as his face.

"Yes, my lord."

"Good. Prepare the boarding party and set for your weapons for stun."

"Yes, my lord."

"And now your friends will see why you were the wiser one." Vader said to Bob.

Bob didn't answer.

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They worked frantically at the control panel, being showered by sparks occasionally. None of them looked up.

Lando and Leia were at the controls of the Falcon. Meanwhile, in the ship's hold, Chewie continued to work frantically on the hyperdrive mechanism.

"Chewie!" Lando spoke into the intercom.

Lark pushed them aside. Something had clicked. "If you told your men to fix it, they would have. But maybe someone else broke it. Which means they didn't do much. Just deactivated it…" she touched a few dangling wires.

Lando pressed the wires back into their spots, and they all jerked back as they shot into lightspeed.

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Bob struggled not to let an ounce of satisfaction show. He must've succeeded because Vader whirled, not onto him but onto the admiral. But instead of strangling anyone, he simply walked off the bridge, his hands held behind his back in a contemplative gesture. Bob breathed another suppressed sigh of relief.

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Lark sat back in her chair and let her head relax against the head rest, eyes closed. Luke was leaving. He was going back to Dagobah to finish his training. Lark couldn't go. Somehow she sensed this even thought she knew she would follow him to the outer rim and back. She would just have to wait.

"Luke, we're ready for takeoff." Lando said into the comlink.

"Good luck, Lando." Luke answered.

"When we find Jabba the Hutt and that bounty hunter, we'll contact you." Lando told him.

"I'll meet you at the rendezvous point on Tatooine."

Lark closed her ears as well. Lando was going to find Han, who had been frozen in carbonite. She Leia and Chewie were going back to the rebels. It seemed so anticlimactic. And what was she supposed to tell her dad? 'I went back, but I didn't actually end up helping Luke anyway'? 'His sister, who he imagines himself in love with, was much more useful than I was'? Lark inwardly groaned. They would never see her as an adult now.

Leia sat beside her. "I love him." She said suddenly.

Lark sighed. Should she tell Leia? Maybe it was for the best, before she got too involved…

"And I'm not going to abandon him to the likes of Jabba and Fett."

Lark's eyes flew open. "Who?"

"Han." Leia's tone carried a 'who else?'.

Hope sprang to life again. "Then we shouldn't." And while we're rescuing Han, I can be closer to Luke. She hesitated and then decided that since Leia was being honest with her, she should do the same.

"I love Luke."

Leia's eyes widened into shock. "Since when?"

"Cloud City." Lark told Leia about how she's almost left a different way and then had realized she couldn't. "I can't leave him either."

A mischievous grin lit up Leia's face. "Well then. What say you and I go after our men?"

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Jesse breathed a sigh of relief when he reentered the rebel's area that was mixed with reluctance. What would Kimmy say? Would she be mad that Jesse had simply left their daughter in the same area as Vader? Although she was the one who said Jesse was overprotective. And she hadn't been there, hadn't seen the look in Lark's eyes. That girl hadn't been about to take no for an answer.

As he landed his ship, Jesse planned what he was going to say, hoping that Kimmy wouldn't be too mad. Because at the moment, Jesse needed his wife's support more than ever.

**_Look for the last part of the series, coming soon! Thanks to all my reviewers!_**


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